It's Gone! 2004-2006 NHL Offseason and Lockout Thread

[Maple Leafs]

Hasek and Lalime have identical .930 save percentages in the playoffs...and Lalime has a better GAA.Numbers can lie.

For one, Lalime's GAA is one of the most misleading stats in the league. He always played behind an excellent defensive team in Ottawa, and he did it during the dead puck era. So of course his GAA is excellent, and even his save percentage is inflated thanks to the lack of tough second shots he was facing. And keep in mind that a good chunk of his post-season numbers came during his excellent series in 2002 against a Flyer team that was imploding and trying to get its coach fired.

Beyond that, last season was more than an off-year for Lalime -- it was the year that teams figured him out. The knocks against him are numerous: he "plays small", he's a poor puckhandler, and he can be beaten high on either side off the rush. His downfall really started in the New Jersey series in 2003, when the Devils forwards were skilled enough to pick him apart.

What's worse, he's one of those goalies who has a knack for giving up the bad goal. He'll play a great game for 50 minutes, even stand on his head some nights, but when his team is down by a goal and pressing he'll break their backs by giving up a softie. Eventually his Ottawa teammates had just stopped trusting him.

The good news for Blues fans is that he's still a good goalie (not great, but good) and he came cheap. He's still young (most goalies don't hit their prime until they're over 30) and a change of scenery could do wonders for him.

So in summary, it's a good gamble by the Blues and the price was right. But he's far from an elite goalie and expectations of him should be kept reasonable.

[Draft Dodger]

I don't think he's an elite goalie either. but I still think he's a pretty darn good one, and better, at this point, than Hasek.

[Maple Leafs]

I don't think he's an elite goalie either. but I still think he's a pretty darn good one, and better, at this point, than Hasek.There's really no way to say whether he's better than Hasek, given that Hasek has only played 14 games in two years. But if I'm a team with Stanley Cup hopes this year, there's no doubt in my mind that I want Hasek in net, not Lalime.

[Draft Dodger]

There's really no way to say whether he's better than Hasek, given that Hasek has only played 14 games in two years. But if I'm a team with Stanley Cup hopes this year, there's no doubt in my mind that I want Hasek in net, not Lalime.

I'd rather have Cujo than either of them.
*ducks*

seriously, I can't argue with the Sens dumping Lalime - even though I think he's a good goalie, there was enough doubt among players/fans that this was necessary (granted, I would think they could have done better than a 4th rounder, but it's hard when everyone in the league knows the guy's going to get traded).

I just don't really think that Hasek is the answer. He's old, and he hasn't played much lately. Personally, I thought that even in his Cup year, his play in the postseason was pretty uneven (6 shutoust and 5 4+ goal games). At best, he's prone to injury (or, worse, prone to faking injuries). And, although you certainly don't look to goalies to resolve clubhouse issues (they are the equivalent to heavy metal drummers - flakes), putting this borderline cancer on that fucked up team can't be a benefit (what, Tom Barrasso wasn't available? oh wait, they tried that already).

All I know is, I wouldn't want to see this guy on my team. 3 or 4 years ago? absolutely. Not anymore.

[rkmsuf]

Nikolai Khabibulin

[Maple Leafs]

I just don't really think that Hasek is the answer.I guess the question is: If not Hasek, who? Who's realistically available who would be a better fit?

Kolzig would be, but we don't know what the Caps' asking price is. Belfour would be better if he becomes a FA, but apparently they didn't want to take any chances on that happening.

Other than those two, who could the Sens get that's better than Hasek?

[bbor]

Missing in this is Osgood....is Lalime a step up from him? A 4th rounder for a possible starting goalie is a steal though...in my books anyways.

Interesting thing i heard on the radio this morning......First was Roberts and Nieuwendyk signing with the Panthers...the 2nd rumour is both of them heading to Ottawa...Now that would upset the Leaf nation.

Strachen writes in todays paper that the Leafs and Kariya may be a good fit together too.....

[Coder]

Strachan thinks anybody would be a good fit in Toronto.. ;-) He's easily the most biased and erroneous hockey-writer I know of.

[Maple Leafs]

Strachan thinks anybody would be a good fit in Toronto.. ;-) He's easily the most biased and erroneous hockey-writer I know of.Don't get the Ottawa Sun, do you?

[Coder]

Nope.. just read SLAM :) I'm in Sweden you know.

[bbor]

Strachan thinks anybody would be a good fit in Toronto.. ;-) He's easily the most biased and erroneous hockey-writer I know of.

I 100% agree.....but this one sorta made sense to me too....this scares me more than anything that i agree with Strachan.:D

[Karim]

Interesting tid bit from Brian Burke during the draft. He said in last year's draft, he tried to acquire Kiprusoff but he and Wilson could agree on "insurance" (the conditionals attached to the number of games played or lack thereof). Sutter acquired him for a 2nd round draft pick before Christmas. Burke said he's obviously like to have that deal back.

[Coder]

bbor > I'm wondering if Vancouver wouldn't an interesting alternative for Kariya as well. Naturally it comes down to money, but he's a BC-boy and the Canucks don't know what's going to happen with Bertuzzi.

[Karim]

NHLPA sympathizer, Larry Brooks, mad about Bettman's rejection of proposal but willingness to use portions of it as a measuring stick for GMs in dealing with this year's draft picks...
http://www.nypost.com/sports/23957.htm

Very interesting...
Bettman and the league have made it clear to the teams not to expect grandfathering of pre-Sept. 15 contracts into the league's new age. Indeed, as we first reported two full years ago and reconfirmed this weekend, Bettman's plan is to hold a dispersal draft with teams able to protect players who earn up to an aggregate $31M in payroll, with the remainder available to be drafted — and, get this, with the original clubs on the hook for the contracts of both those players selected by other teams and those who might go unclaimed.
Payroll problems for St. Louis and Anaheim... lots of "cap" space for Atlanta...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040628.wduha28/BNStory/Sports/

[sachmo71]

If Bettman thinks that's fair in any way, shape or form, he's insane.

[bbor]

bbor > I'm wondering if Vancouver wouldn't an interesting alternative for Kariya as well. Naturally it comes down to money, but he's a BC-boy and the Canucks don't know what's going to happen with Bertuzzi.


Canucks would be another logical fit if they can afford it...I have no idea as to what Kariya is worth right now...he had a horrible season last year.Would you pay him 8 mil a year coming off that season?

I think any deal having him come to the Canucks would have to include his brother making the team also:D

[Tekneek]

There's really no way to say whether he's better than Hasek, given that Hasek has only played 14 games in two years.

That is as good a reason as any to say he is better than Hasek. At least he is not a headcase, and has no reputation for bailing on his team. He may have problems, but he sticks around and deals with them instead of leaving the country.

[bbor]

If Bettman thinks that's fair in any way, shape or form, he's insane.


We already knew that though...did'nt we? :D

[Tekneek]

If Bettman thinks that's fair in any way, shape or form, he's insane.

If there is a "dispersal draft", I will consider walking away from following the NHL indefinitely. That would be taking things to an outrageous extreme. They might as well just fold the entire league and start over.

[Maple Leafs]

A dispersal draft? Interesting idea -- but just plain nutty unless all the teams have been warned in advance.

I just don't see it working. Right now, today, there is no cap. If the league expects the teams to adhere to a non-existent cap this off-season, that's collusion. The dispersal idea is creative, but it would serve the purpose of instituting the cap right now, and the PA would be all over it. Besides, what about the players who wouldn't be taken in the draft? They just don't get to play anymore?

It seems as if there are only two options, assuming a cap does become reality eventually -- either you grandfather it, or you make all contracts voidable for a limited time to let teams escape bad deals.

[Karim]

Real negotiation won't actually take place until after Sept. 15th. I suspect it's a lot of bravado now, so far away from the deadline and that the final agreement will be a lot different than anyone expects.

[Chief Rum]

A dispersal draft would kill my team, as the article suggests, at least at the levels ($31 M) suggested there. So obviously, I'm not a big fan of that.

CR

[Draft Dodger]

A dispersal draft would kill my team, as the article suggests, at least at the levels ($31 M) suggested there. So obviously, I'm not a big fan of that.

CR

the Rangers would have to fold. They wouldn't even be able to put 20 guys on the ice. :D

[sterlingice]

the Rangers would have to fold. They wouldn't even be able to put 20 guys on the ice. :D
See? Added bonus.

SI

[Karim]

Chief may be interested in this...

NHL to Investigate Mighty Ducks
AP - New York Visibly hot under the collar, Gary (Never Call Me "Napolean") Bettman, head poobah of the NHL, today issued a statement saying that the Mighty Ducks' actions at the Entry Draft this past Saturday were unprecedented and warrant a full-scale investigation. Citing the fact that the Ducks passed on Lauri Tukonen, Drew Stafford, A.J. Thelen and Marek Schwarz to pick Ladislav Smid, Bettman fumed, "Not even the Rangers could be that damned stupid." In fact, Bettman went on to criticize the Ducks' selection in each round with the exception of the 4th and 5th rounds.***

Bettman also noted that the Ducks were looking to unload Petr Sykora, Ruslan Salei, Vaclav Prospal, the Equipment Manager, the Assistant Equipment Manager and the only National Anthem singer in Southern California who knew ALL the words to both the Canadian and the American National Anthems.
Bettman also felt that the fact that the Ducks re-drafted Tim Brent---after expending a cumulative 45 minutes during the past two years trying to sign him---bolstered his conclusion that something more than typical NHL stupidity was involved.

He then quickly cut to the chase. "It's obvious that the Ducks will be lucky to win 9 games next season, assuming, of course, that the season starts in a timely fashion." (Interestingly, most hockey mavens expect that, after a prolonged work stoppage, there will only be an eleven-game season next year. Obviously, this does not include all the best-of-three playoff series.) "It's clear that the Ducks are trying to position themselves so that they will be in prime position to draft Sidney Crosby in the 2005 Entry Draft."

When asked if he had a response to the Commissioner's comments, Al Coates, the General Manager, Business Manager, Head of Food Sales and Interim Equipment Manager of the Might Ducks, said, "Who's Sidney Crosby?"

***the Ducks had no picks in either the 4th- or the 5th-round

[sachmo71]

Dallas acquires forward Jaroslav Svoboda from Carolina in exchange
for a fourth round draft pick in 2005



Isn't he that big kid?

[Chief Rum]

Chief may be interested in this...

NHL to Investigate Mighty Ducks
AP - New York Visibly hot under the collar, Gary (Never Call Me "Napolean") Bettman, head poobah of the NHL, today issued a statement saying that the Mighty Ducks' actions at the Entry Draft this past Saturday were unprecedented and warrant a full-scale investigation. Citing the fact that the Ducks passed on Lauri Tukonen, Drew Stafford, A.J. Thelen and Marek Schwarz to pick Ladislav Smid, Bettman fumed, "Not even the Rangers could be that damned stupid." In fact, Bettman went on to criticize the Ducks' selection in each round with the exception of the 4th and 5th rounds.***

Bettman also noted that the Ducks were looking to unload Petr Sykora, Ruslan Salei, Vaclav Prospal, the Equipment Manager, the Assistant Equipment Manager and the only National Anthem singer in Southern California who knew ALL the words to both the Canadian and the American National Anthems.
Bettman also felt that the fact that the Ducks re-drafted Tim Brent---after expending a cumulative 45 minutes during the past two years trying to sign him---bolstered his conclusion that something more than typical NHL stupidity was involved.

He then quickly cut to the chase. "It's obvious that the Ducks will be lucky to win 9 games next season, assuming, of course, that the season starts in a timely fashion." (Interestingly, most hockey mavens expect that, after a prolonged work stoppage, there will only be an eleven-game season next year. Obviously, this does not include all the best-of-three playoff series.) "It's clear that the Ducks are trying to position themselves so that they will be in prime position to draft Sidney Crosby in the 2005 Entry Draft."

When asked if he had a response to the Commissioner's comments, Al Coates, the General Manager, Business Manager, Head of Food Sales and Interim Equipment Manager of the Might Ducks, said, "Who's Sidney Crosby?"

***the Ducks had no picks in either the 4th- or the 5th-round

lol...what's that from? Snopes? :)

Interesting theory actually, although I find it hard to believe a team with Jiggy and Federov could finish in last. Besides, they have a lottery now, don't they?

That's pretty funny, though.

CR

[Draft Dodger]

funny stuff. I've been wondering about Crosby...

1) if there's going to be a season to just tank it, this coming season would be the one. teams thinking about cutting salary in anticipation of a new salary cap, might be incented to cut even further, and get a chance at Crosby.

2) if there's NO season (and I don't think that will happen), does Washington get Crosby? do they do another lottery?

3) is Crosby really as good as they say he is? (sounds like it)

[Karim]

lol...what's that from? Snopes?
A frustrated Ducks fan posted it on a Flames message board. :)

[Karim]

3) is Crosby really as good as they say he is? (sounds like it)
I've only seen him at the World Junior Championship and he was very impressive for just turning 16. He was also the youngest player to ever score in the tournament.

[Chief Rum]

I'm not really wild about Smid either, but I haven't checked to see who else was available at that point. Was he a reach for the ninth spot?

CR

[Simms]

Crosby's hype is nearly identical in breathlessness to that of Jason Spezza 4-5 years ago. And like Spezza, from everything I've seen, he's very very good.

I would argue that Spezza has already justified his #2 overall selection and will be a very solid NHLer for many years. But he will never be confused for Wayne Gretzky.

My hunch is that Crosby will turn out similarly. He'll go high, ease his way into a first-line role, and be a solid 70-90 point guy for most of his career. Solid, occasionally spectacular, maybe an MVP or two....but he won't be rewriting any record books.

In other words, he'll be a 21st century superstar. :)

[bbor]

Spezzas' skating will hold him back.Now mind you Gretz was never a great skater but back in his day the NHL was a lot slower than now.

Unless Spezza works real hard on his skating/conditioning(from what i hear he is) he will continue to be at the point he is at now.

Crosby is already a better skater than Spezza and i think he will be an over all better player..

IMHO.

[sterlingice]

Was Spezza really the most hyped in the last few years? The player I remember with the most hype surrounding him in recent memory was Vinny Lecavalier.

SI

[Coder]

Spezza was hyped since he was 15. I remember reading about him being drafted by the Missiuaga Icedogs.. and I'm in Sweden :).

[Cards4ever]

funny stuff. I've been wondering about Crosby...



3) is Crosby really as good as they say he is? (sounds like it)

He is without a doubt the best player I've ever seen at his age.

When he was at Shattuck, he was first line center, played PP and PK and he was only a freshmen. I've seen that done in normal HS settings, but not at Shattuck. Shattuck is a top flight private school with a midget hockey program. This kid had the kitchen sink thrown at him when he played there and he just never seem rattled, very composed for his age. If he can keep his feet on the ground he will be a spectacular NHL player.

[Maple Leafs]

2) if there's NO season (and I don't think that will happen), does Washington get Crosby? do they do another lottery?A friend of mine who covers the NHL for a sports network asked them this exact question, and the official answer was "we don't know". I suspect the league has a plan in place, but won't comment publicly since that would amount to an admission that they don't expect there to be a season.

My guess would be another lottery, but keep in mind that if the work stoppage drags on there may not even be a 2005 draft. Drafts are covered in the CBA, so unless one is in place (or the players and owners can reach a separate agreement -- fat chance) there would be no draft.

[Honolulu_Blue]

A friend of mine who covers the NHL for a sports network asked them this exact question, and the official answer was "we don't know". I suspect the league has a plan in place, but won't comment publicly since that would amount to an admission that they don't expect there to be a season.

My guess would be another lottery, but keep in mind that if the work stoppage drags on there may not even be a 2005 draft. Drafts are covered in the CBA, so unless one is in place (or the players and owners can reach a separate agreement -- fat chance) there would be no draft.

I also read somewhere that if there was no season, but a CBA was reached prior to the draft, they would keep the same draft order for the most part, but would re-do the lottery. So there may be some changes in the top part of the order.

[Maple Leafs]

News from Ottawa: the Hasek deal is essentially done and will be announced tomorrow.

But here's some great news for Leaf fans: Matthew Barnaby, the Official Punching Bag of the Toronto Maple Leafs™, is apparently set to sign with the Sens.

That's right. In an effort to get tougher in order to beat Toronto, the Sens are ready to spend their limited free agent money on a guy who has been beaten to a pulp several times by virtually every Leaf player.

The apparent question that rises from these two announcements: Does Muckler know that there are other teams out there than Buffalo? Will anyone without a Sabres connection ever land in Ottawa?

[bbor]

News from Ottawa: the Hasek deal is essentially done and will be announced tomorrow.

But here's some great news for Leaf fans: Matthew Barnaby, the Official Punching Bag of the Toronto Maple Leafs™, is apparently set to sign with the Sens.

That's right. In an effort to get tougher in order to beat Toronto, the Sens are ready to spend their limited free agent money on a guy who has been beaten to a pulp several times by virtually every Leaf player.

The apparent question that rises from these two announcements: Does Muckler know that there are other teams out there than Buffalo? Will anyone without a Sabres connection ever land in Ottawa?


Man...if Muckler could land Gil Perrault...Danny Gare...Rick Martin the Sens would be a definate contender:)

[bbor]

Dola....The Muckler picking up Sabres players reminds me alot of Riccardi picking up all the Oakland A's...and well...we see how that is turning out.

[Maple Leafs]

3.... 2.... 1.... and free agency is here!

(And in the final hours, the Leafs lockup Roberts, Niewy and Belfour! Woot!)

[sterlingice]

A couple of notes of interest about the Hawks. ESPN had them under their "Draft Winners" column, tho the article talks alot more about how they got character players and not how well they could do on the ice except for Barker. But, of course, the Hawks, never a team to have a silver lining without a cloud ("We did it because it's something we could." ?!? I could throw myself off a bridge but that doesn't make it a good idea):

Qualifying offers are two-way
The Blackhawks extended contract qualifying offers to Eric Daze (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1283), Jocelyn Thibault (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=688) and Bryan Berard (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1468), but added a two-way stipulation on the vets, where if they were assigned to AHL Norfolk for say injury rehab, they'd receive a minor-league salary, which angered some who cited a lack of respect. Daze (back), Thibault (hip) and Berard (eye) have all been slowed by injuries in recent years. "Of course, it's disappointing," agent Bob Sauve told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. "I wish it didn't happen, but nothing surprises me anymore in this league." Said general manager Bob Pulford: "We did it because it's something we could. Why not do it? If they're worried about playing in the minors, geez." Sauve indicated his clients Thibault and Daze would rather sign long-term if possible.

SI

[bbor]

Nice job by JFJ

[Karim]

Turek gives a big FU to the union. Are you listening Jarome?
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=c1f35de4-a4aa-488b-8b2d-546991687586

[sterlingice]

Turek gives a big FU to the union. Are you listening Jarome?
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=c1f35de4-a4aa-488b-8b2d-546991687586
That's pretty cool and good news for the Flames.

SI

[Honolulu_Blue]

I know this happened a while ago, but this is the most detailed report I've seen.

Poor Uncle Probie... For a while there, he was fantastic. The 87-88 season: 29 goals, 33 assists, 398 PIMs. Not too mention his performance in the playoffs that year: 16 games, 8 goals, 13 assists, 51 PIMs. What a force.

He's been troubled for a long while, but it seems as though he's hit rock bottom.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/wings/0407/01/e01-200669.htm

Probert faces 3 felony charges
Ex-Wing is accused in Florida of battery and resisting officer

How far has former Red Wings player Bob Probert fallen?

When exhausted police in Delray Beach, Fla., finally subdued an enraged Probert with repeated jolts from a Taser gun on June 4, Probert was in his first day on the job as an attendant at a beach club.

All he had with him, according to police reports obtained by The Detroit News, was $37, and a Narcotics Anonymous key chain with a single key.

At the police lockup, Probert punched the cell’s walls and window, stripped and plunged his clothes into the cell’s toilet, the reports say. He told one police officer, “I’m going to get you,” and began chanting “red and white, red and white.”

Police took Probert to the Palm Beach County jail, where he was booked, photographed and fingerprinted.

On Wednesday, the Palm Beach State Attorney’s office formally filed four charges against Probert: battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence, threatening a public official (each a felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine) and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.

No trial date has been set. Probert’s attorney, Robert Gentile of Palm Beach, declined to be interviewed. Probert could not be reached. He is free on $5,000 bond.

For much of his 18-year career with the Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, Probert was one of the NHL’s toughest enforcers. But he became known for his off-ice battles with alcohol and cocaine.

In 1989 Probert was convicted of attempting to smuggle a small amount of cocaine across the border between Canada and Detroit, and he served six months in a federal prison in Minnesota. The NHL banned him for life but rescinded that decision late in the 1989-90 season after Probert underwent rehabilitation.

In the summer of 1994, days after he signed as a free agent with the Blackhawks, Probert crashed his motorcycle while under the influence of liquor and was suspended indefinitely by the NHL. He finally was allowed to return for the 1995-96 season.

He retired after the 2001-02 season and, according to the Chicago Tribune, immediately checked into a residential substance-abuse treatment program.

About five months ago, Probert, 39, began living in Delray Beach, Fla., a resort town on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Palm Beach County.

The manager of the Colony Hotel and Cabana Club there said Wednesday that Probert had worked for the hotel’s beach club for exactly one day.

Witness Jamie Bowers told police she went to the Colony Beach Club for a “Full Moon Party” on the night of June 4 and met Probert, who she said seemed very nice. Just after midnight, Probert offered to give her a ride since she had walked to the club from her home a block or two away.

Instead, according to police reports, she, Probert and another partygoer took a detour down Atlantic Avenue, Probert saying he wanted to buy drugs. Probert pulled the white BMW SUV over to the wrong side of the road to talk to some men and was hanging out the window, yelling at them angrily, when a police car drove by, made a U-turn and pulled up behind Probert’s vehicle.

Several bystanders yelled at police that Probert was there trying to buy drugs and to come get him, reports say. Before they could get there, Probert had leaped from his car and started chasing one of the bystanders, trying to fight him.

Police intercepted Probert and said he began to fight them. Officer Thomas Tolbert used an “arm bar take-down” to bring Probert to the ground but was completely ineffective. Tolbert then used “several peronial nerve strikes,” but those didn’t affect Probert, either, the police reports say. Two other officers were helping Tolbert but could not handcuff Probert.

Tolbert drew his M-26 Taser, told the other officers to clear, and fired the two barbs into Probert’s chest. He fell backward on the street and rolled onto his side during the five-second electrical burst. But when officers approached, Probert fought back to his feet. Tolbert gave him “several more touch stun shots,” and finally officers were able to cuff him.

At the lockup, police tried to treat Probert for a cut beside his right eye. But Probert wouldn’t permit it. He said, according to one report, “that he’d been cut plenty of times in his life and did not need to be tended to.”

[Honolulu_Blue]

Other Wings news. The Wings tied up Draper with a long term deal. They did not come to terms with Devereaux, Shanahan, or Schneider. They are allegedly close with Shanahan, but not with Schneider...

Some interesting names in the Unrestricted Free Agent Pool. It's sad to see LA give up on Deadmarsh and Allison. Together with Palfy, they made a great line. You can't blame the Kings though. The chance that either player will ever really be healthy enough to play consistent hockey again is very unlikely.

[Tekneek]

I am on the side of the Blackhawks on those contract offers, but it would mean a lot more if we did not know that they were cheap bastards all around. It would have been nice to see it as a principled stand, instead of the cheapskate move that it really is.

[Chief Rum]

In reference to my previous post about the Ducks, they went ahead and offered qualifying offers to Vitaly Vishnevsky, Ruslan Salei and Rob Neidermayer, and worked out a deal with Andy McDonald. They also tried to work out a multi-year extension with Carney, and when that didn't work out, they picked up his option. They let Jason Krog, Cam Severson and Pete Schastlivy go with no qualifying offers.

So apparently it's not so fast on that fire sale. No way they keep all those players if that were the case. Of course, I'm crossing my fingers on that one.

CR

[MrIllini]

the Blues did not QO Demitra

great move Larry, you ballbag

[Honolulu_Blue]

the Blues did not QO Demitra

great move Larry, you ballbag

The Blues' hands were tied. With Tkachuck ($9 million?) and Weight ($8 million), I don't think they could afford another mega-salaried forward. Especially with Pronger making the money he will make. Those three players alone will account for around $27 million next year.

[MrIllini]

I'd have rather seen them cut bait with Tkachuk

or at least QO the guy then move him

[Draft Dodger]

Demitra would look nice in an Avs uniform...

[MrIllini]

Lacroix ain't that smooth

[Draft Dodger]

Lacroix ain't that smooth

Lacroix is one of the smoothest GMs out there.

[bbor]

He must be...he traded his own son and is still married :D

[MrIllini]

Lacroix is one of the smoothest GMs out there.

well I tell you what, if he signs Demitra, we'll see ;)

but I'll bet ya it doesn't happen

[Maple Leafs]

or at least QO the guy then move himI doubt you'd be able to to trade him at $6.5M. Not without picking up a chunk of his salary, at least.

[MrIllini]

I doubt you'd be able to to trade him at $6.5M. Not without picking up a chunk of his salary, at least.

I'd rather pick up a couple mil and get some picks/prospects out of the deal than just watch him walk *shurg*

guess it's still possible he comes back for less, but I reckon he probably feels pretty slighted at this point

[Karim]

Flames sign Simon (yes!) to a one or two year deal (still unclear) at around $1.6 million.

They also signed Byron Ritchie to a 3-year deal @ $500k/year. The key is a one-way contract that Ritchie wanted. He's from BC and played junior in Lethbridge, putting up great numbers but could never translate it into the NHL. Good 3rd/4th line depth signing for Calgary.

Rumour is Conroy to Atl for $9-$10 million/3 years...

[Draft Dodger]

sorry Leafs fans, Barnaby goes to Chicago instead. :)
Chicago also signs Curtis Brown.

the Avs pick up a couple of nice checking line players - Ian Lapperiere and Antti Laaksonen. Didn't realize Lapperriere had been around so long - looks like he was once part of a trade involving Jari Kurri...

[Karim]

I just finished reading an article about Joe Thornton asking for a trade being upset about management's lack of support during the Montreal series.

Apparently Keenan has offered Bouwmeester, Weiss and Horton. I think if this is true, (and I have my doubts), Boston would be foolish to pass up on a deal like this.

[Draft Dodger]

I just finished reading an article about Joe Thornton asking for a trade being upset about management's lack of support during the Montreal series.

Apparently Keenan has offered Bouwmeester, Weiss and Horton. I think if this is true, (and I have my doubts), Boston would be foolish to pass up on a deal like this.

link?

[MrIllini]

lappy's a good scrapper DD

[Coder]

link?


http://nypost.com/sports/24428.htm

It's merely Larry Brooks theorizing. He's suggesting that Keenan would love to get Thornton back and would be willing to part with Bouwmeester to get him.. crock if you ask me.

[MrIllini]

on a related note, Guns 'N Roses is the best band of all time

[bbor]

I just finished reading an article about Joe Thornton asking for a trade being upset about management's lack of support during the Montreal series.

Apparently Keenan has offered Bouwmeester, Weiss and Horton. I think if this is true, (and I have my doubts), Boston would be foolish to pass up on a deal like this.


If Keenan offered me this deal i would'nt let him off the phone until i got the confirmation fax:D

[Draft Dodger]

http://nypost.com/sports/24428.htm

It's merely Larry Brooks theorizing. He's suggesting that Keenan would love to get Thornton back and would be willing to part with Bouwmeester to get him.. crock if you ask me.

yep - you pretty much lose me at the "Larry Brooks" part.
he's a perfect fit for the NY Post

[Maple Leafs]

OK, after thinking about it over the weekend, I have a plan to avoid a lockout.

A few assumptions:
- Let's assume Bettman is being honest when he says he's not trying to drive salaries down, he just wants "cost certainty" that's tied to revenues
- Let's also assume Goodenow is being honest when he says he just wants to let "the market" determine salaries

(Obviously these are big assumptions. If one or both guys are just blowing smoke with their stances, then this whole thing is a waste of time and the lockout will last until the union or the owners are completely broken and powerless.)

- Let's finally assume that once you get the cap issue ironed out, the other smaller stuff (rule changes, draft bonuses, etc) can be hammered out in some fair fashion.

For sake of argument, let's assume all of these to be true. If they are, here's my Four Point plan to save the NHL.

Step 1: Create a hard salary cap, based on total revenue for each year. Yes, I know, the plan is already dead because Goodenow will never accept a cap. But stay with me. We forget about Bettman's ludicrous $31M cap, which would effectively cut player salaries league-wide by almost a half-billion dollars. Bettman just wants cost certainty, right? So we give it to him: we set the salary cap at 70% of league revenue, split evenly among the teams.

Current estimates put league revenue at a shade under $2B, so if you do the math you wind up with a salary cap of $45M per team. The owners get their cost certainty, and the players can't really complain too loudly about the 70% figure, since it's significantly higher than any other league. So far so good.

Step 2: Create a salary floor, equal to the salary cap minus $10M. Since the salary cap at the start would be $45M, the floor is $35M. No team may spend less than $35M on salaries. After all, fair is fair. If Detroit and Toronto won't be able to spend $60M every year, no sense letting Minnesota spend $20M.

So if every team spends the full $45M, total salaries will be about $1.35B, which is slightly higher than what it was last year. But Bettman can't complain, because he gets his cost certainty, right? And if all the teams decide to stick to the $35M floor, salaries drop to slightly above $1B -- a significant drop. But Goodenow can't complain, since that would just be the "free market" at work, right?

Step 3: You can't really have a hard cap with guaranteed contracts. So, we pass a new rule: at any time in the life of a contract, a team can cut a player. To do so, they pay him a total equal to one-half of the average yearly salary left on his deal. So if the Sens decide Daniel Alfredsson isn't worth the 5-year $25M deal they gave him, they can cut him at any time by writing him a check for $2.5M (half of an average $5M salary). If they do, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere he wants.

You'd need some sort of rule here to limit signing bonuses to keep the players from demanding their entire contracts up front, but otherwise this seems reasonably fair to both sides.

Finally, the one that makes it all work...

Step 4: We've asked the players to make huge concession so far. We've made them accept the salary cap they say they never will, and we're taking away their guaranteed contracts. We have to give them something back, and we do: All players are now eligible for unrestricted free agency after five full seasons.

That's right, players as young as 23 years old will be able to become UFAs. This brings hockey roughly into line with other sports -- baseball is six years, basketball three, etc. Yes, that means teams won't be able to draft a guy and hold his rights for 13+ years anymore. Yes, it means guys like Heatley and Kovalchuk could be free agents and go sign with Detroit or New York in a few years. But if you want to make a deal, you have to offer something significant to the players. If you want a cap like the other sports, it's only fair to have FA like the other sports.

So there you have it. A mandatory payroll of $35-$45M, no more guaranteed contracts, and accelerated free agency. Game on!

[Chief Rum]

OK, after thinking about it over the weekend, I have a plan to avoid a lockout.

A few assumptions:
- Let's assume Bettman is being honest when he says he's not trying to drive salaries down, he just wants "cost certainty" that's tied to revenues
- Let's also assume Goodenow is being honest when he says he just wants to let "the market" determine salaries

(Obviously these are big assumptions. If one or both guys are just blowing smoke with their stances, then this whole thing is a waste of time and the lockout will last until the union or the owners are completely broken and powerless.)

- Let's finally assume that once you get the cap issue ironed out, the other smaller stuff (rule changes, draft bonuses, etc) can be hammered out in some fair fashion.

For sake of argument, let's assume all of these to be true. If they are, here's my Four Point plan to save the NHL.

Step 1: Create a hard salary cap, based on total revenue for each year. Yes, I know, the plan is already dead because Goodenow will never accept a cap. But stay with me. We forget about Bettman's ludicrous $31M cap, which would effectively cut player salaries league-wide by almost a half-billion dollars. Bettman just wants cost certainty, right? So we give it to him: we set the salary cap at 70% of league revenue, split evenly among the teams.

Current estimates put league revenue at a shade under $2B, so if you do the math you wind up with a salary cap of $45M per team. The owners get their cost certainty, and the players can't really complain too loudly about the 70% figure, since it's significantly higher than any other league. So far so good.

Step 2: Create a salary floor, equal to the salary cap minus $10M. Since the salary cap at the start would be $45M, the floor is $35M. No team may spend less than $35M on salaries. After all, fair is fair. If Detroit and Toronto won't be able to spend $60M every year, no sense letting Minnesota spend $20M.

So if every team spends the full $45M, total salaries will be about $1.35B, which is slightly higher than what it was last year. But Bettman can't complain, because he gets his cost certainty, right? And if all the teams decide to stick to the $35M floor, salaries drop to slightly above $1B -- a significant drop. But Goodenow can't complain, since that would just be the "free market" at work, right?

Step 3: You can't really have a hard cap with guaranteed contracts. So, we pass a new rule: at any time in the life of a contract, a team can cut a player. To do so, they pay him a total equal to one-half of the average yearly salary left on his deal. So if the Sens decide Daniel Alfredsson isn't worth the 5-year $25M deal they gave him, they can cut him at any time by writing him a check for $2.5M (half of an average $5M salary). If they do, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere he wants.

You'd need some sort of rule here to limit signing bonuses to keep the players from demanding their entire contracts up front, but otherwise this seems reasonably fair to both sides.

Finally, the one that makes it all work...

Step 4: We've asked the players to make huge concession so far. We've made them accept the salary cap they say they never will, and we're taking away their guaranteed contracts. We have to give them something back, and we do: All players are now eligible for unrestricted free agency after five full seasons.

That's right, players as young as 23 years old will be able to become UFAs. This brings hockey roughly into line with other sports -- baseball is six years, basketball three, etc. Yes, that means teams won't be able to draft a guy and hold his rights for 13+ years anymore. Yes, it means guys like Heatley and Kovalchuk could be free agents and go sign with Detroit or New York in a few years. But if you want to make a deal, you have to offer something significant to the players. If you want a cap like the other sports, it's only fair to have FA like the other sports.

So there you have it. A mandatory payroll of $35-$45M, no more guaranteed contracts, and accelerated free agency. Game on!

My thoughts...I realize you wrote all four points to work with each other here, so forgive me if addressing them individually ruins that.

Point 1: I like the concept of a hard cap to a point, but exceptions need to be designed into it for emergencies, such as those caused by injury. The problem there, of course, is at one point do those exceptions become essentially loopholes to get more players? To institue that plan, I think you would have to come up with something like exceptions, and that could be an iffy situation.

But that's just a quibble. My main issue with the hard cap in Point #1 is that it's too high. Yes, I know that's key to the union accepting it, but 70% is just too much of a cost. Remember, not every cost is salary, so holding salary levels at 70% of average revenue only limits one cost, but might also ensure that many, if not most teams, would not be able to make a profit. I think 65% is a much more comfortable level for this, although even that isn't going to help some teams.

Also, does your salary cap figure take into account the new TV deal? Next year's league revenue might be significantly less than this year's.

Like the NBA, salary cap issues in trades will also become a significant factor and need a whole new set of rules (not that I don't think all the lawyers in this mess couldn't devise them).

2) I like the concept of a minimum cap, but we run into the same issues that were suggested when this was thrown out in baseball. Some players will be getting ridiculously inflated contracts they don't deserve, just so a team can reach the minimum cap. It's throwing money away and is just very inefficient. It's also not the free market the union wants. They won't complain about a player making more money, of course, but if better players are out there working for less money than they should, because a team committed resources wastefully to a lesser player, that could cause unrest as well.

But my main issue is that I think setting it so high ($35 M) does two things. The first is, that teams will be forced to pay that much, and I believe there are teams for which that, plus the associated costs of running the club, end up still being a losing venture for them. And this time it would be guaranteed to be a losing venture. The second is that such a tight salary cap range (just $10 M from $35 M to $45 M) will create way too much parity. That's a lesser problem to me as I don't mind the ever changing NFL, but I know it will matter to others, and I also think the range suggested here is even much tighter than the NFL and will be even more volatile on a year-to-year basis.

3) I have no real issue with #3, except I don't see how the union will accept that their players can have multimillion dollar contracts voided for what amounts to a pittance, particularly early in a contract. I think a system for doing this will need to be put in place, with constraints that make taking this route a more iffy proposition for the club. Perhaps the half of a year's salary needs to be raised to a more significant value of the remaining contract (a precentage of the net worth of the remaining contract, for instance), or chnages to the cap a team can run would have to be implemented to give such a move longterm consequences on the club's salary structure/ability to sign and trade for new players a la NFL.

4) I completely agree with lowering free agency age. The fact teams can hold on to a player's rights for 13 years, through most if not all of their prime, is Draconian, IMO.

But I think five seasons is just too small. I don't think players should be seeing free agency until 25 or 26, when they are a little more mature and settled, and less apt to make rash decisions on the whims of their money-hungry agents or because they "want to party". A 23-year-old might make decisions like that, while I think there is a key growing stage for men from 21 to 26 or 27, at least mentally. So I think six or seven years is more appropriate, with perhaps early allowances for players who enter the league at a later age than 18 or 19.

That's my thoughts on your plan, Sean. I think it's a good plan, but that it's just too restrictive, and I am not sure the lower revenue teams would benefit from this at all (and I would guess that also includes most Canadian teams, if my understanding of the issues between them and American-based teams is right).

CR

[Maple Leafs]

But that's just a quibble. My main issue with the hard cap in Point #1 is that it's too high. Yes, I know that's key to the union accepting it, but 70% is just too much of a cost. Remember, not every cost is salary, so holding salary levels at 70% of average revenue only limits one cost, but might also ensure that many, if not most teams, would not be able to make a profit. I think 65% is a much more comfortable level for this, although even that isn't going to help some teams.True enough. You'll notice I didn't say anything about revenue sharing. That's largely because I don't think revenue sharing should be a CBA issue -- rather, it's up to the owners to figure out what to do with their money. We know there's more than enough money in the pot to pay out the 70% number (the "other" expenses aren't that high, especially with so many sweetheart lease deals), it's just a question of how to spread it around.

Team like Toronto and Detroit will have their payrolls chopped by up to $20M -- maybe that money goes back to the smaller teams. It's up to the owners to work it out, but the money is there. From the player's perspective, why should they take a lower cap value just to help the handful of struggling teams when there's already more than enough money in the pot? If the big market owners don't want to sacrifice, fine... just don't ask the players to sacrifice for you.

Also, does your salary cap figure take into account the new TV deal? Next year's league revenue might be significantly less than this year's.They'd need to find a way to work that into it. The league must have an estimate of some sort that they could use as a baseline for this year.

I like the concept of a minimum cap, but we run into the same issues that were suggested when this was thrown out in baseball. Some players will be getting ridiculously inflated contracts they don't deserve, just so a team can reach the minimum cap. It's throwing money away and is just very inefficient.Well, players already get ridiculous contracts that they don't deserve, but that's beside the point. I concede that there are issues with a salary floor. I just can't bring myself to call it fair if a system forces Toronto to cut it's payroll by 25%+ but doesn't also force the teams that are lowballing to pay up.

But my main issue is that I think setting it so high ($35 M) does two things. The first is, that teams will be forced to pay that much, and I believe there are teams for which that, plus the associated costs of running the club, end up still being a losing venture for them.Well, keep in mind that the average payroll last years was $44M, so the money is out there to pay the $35M easily if there's some sort of revenue share. Beyond that, if you look at the lowest payrolls last year you'll find that they're almost all teams that are either recent expansion teams following the low-budget blueprint (ATL, NAS, COL, and MIN) or teams that in obvious rebuilding mondes (CHI, PIT). Calgary, Ottawa, Phoenix and Carolina are already over $35M. Buffalo is just short. Edmonton was at about $31M, but that's no so far as to be out of reach.

I guess my answer to your objections would be two-fold:
- With some basic revenue sharing in place, most teams would be able to spend the $35M with room for a profit. Not necessarily a large profit, but no business should be guaranteed a large profit just for existing.
- If there are teams that legitimately can't cobble together enough revenue to cover $35M (keeping in mind, this league made $2B last year), even with revenue sharing... well, maybe they just shouldn't have a team. This league could afford to lose two or four or six teams and still have plenty to go around. If some teams are really trailing the others so badly that they can't keep up with even a modest salary floor, then at some point their owners will need to make some tough decisions.

[Simms]

"Multiple sources" (including at least one agent) have told the FAN (Toronto sports radio) that their understanding is that winger Glen Murray has already signed a deal with the Leafs. Anton Thun, Murray's agent, will only confirm that he's talked with Toronto, and not since last Friday.

Take that for what you wish. :)

[Maple Leafs]

Speaking of unannounced signings, Sean O'Donnell has apparently signed with Phoenix(!), not LA as had been expected.

[samifan24]

At least we'll have the AHL. I can keep track of my favorite NHL prospects next season while there's no NHL.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Boyd "The Void" Devereaux has ended up in Phoenix. And Cairns is now in Florida. I like that. I have always sort of liked Florida for some reason. No, because of Paul Laus. Now that Laus is pretty much done (due to injury), it's good to see another big, tough bruising defenseman like Cairns there to carry on the legacy.

[bbor]

Rennie is the best coach the Rangers could find?

[Karim]

I think it's a positive step for the Rangers. They've dumped some salaries, had a great draft and now have gone after a coach known for developing players instead of just getting a "name".

[Karim]

Conroy signs with LA for $12.6 million/4 years ($3.15 million/year).

In an interview, he said Sutter offered him a contract around the draft and then never talked to him again. It was a 3 year offer at around the same money he was making ($2.2 million/year) but the third year was dependant upon statistical output of year two. Also, a no trade clause was NOT included and he feared he might sign and be traded by December.

A lot of Flames fans are upset with him because Conroy talked a great game - how he loved the city, the fans, it wasn't about the money, he wanted security for his family instead, etc., etc. So to see him leave isn't sitting well with some people. It was clear however, he wasn't in Sutter's long-term plans.

In an interesting move, Sutter has signed 7 young free agents who either were let go by their AHL/ECHL clubs, were not drafted or were too old to return to junior. Apparently he's stocking up for potentially a new affiliate. Two of the players signed are the brothers of Robyn Regehr (Ritchie) and Marcus Nilson (Patrik).

[Draft Dodger]

you know, Hasek kind of LOOKS like the Sens logo...

[bbor]

So who does Sutter get to centre Jarome?

[chrisj]

I saw this posted elsewhere... I think it's funny. :P

NHL players need YOU!

Since September 11, 2001, Americans and Canadians have come together as never before in our generation. We have banded together to overcome tremendous adversity. We have weathered direct attacks on our own soil, wars overseas, corporate/government scandal, layoffs, unemployment, stock price plunges, droughts, fires, mad cow, SARS, high gasoline prices, and a myriad of economic and physical disasters both great and small. But now, we must come together once again to overcome our greatest challenge yet. Hundreds of Professional Hockey players in our very own nation are going to be locked out, living at well below the seven-figure salary level. And as if that weren't bad enough they could be deprived of their life giving pay for several months, possibly longer, as a result of the upcoming lockout situation. But you can help!

For only $20,835 a month, about $694.50 a day (that's less than the cost of a large screen projection TV) you can help an NHL player remain economically viable during his time of need. This contribution by no means solves the roblem as it barely covers the annual minimum salary, but it's a start, and every little bit will help!

Although $700 may not seem like a lot of money to you, to a hockey player it could mean the difference between spending the lockout golfing in Florida or on a Mediterranean cruise. For you, seven hundred dollars is nothing more than a month's rent, half a mortgage payment, or a month of medical insurance, but to a hockey player, $700 will partially replace his daily salary.

Your commitment of less than $700 a day will enable a player to buy that home entertainment center, trade in the year-old Lexus for a new Ferrari, or enjoy a weekend in Rio.

HOW WILL I KNOW I'M HELPING?

Each month, you will receive a complete financial report on the player you sponsor. Detailed information about his stocks, bonds, 401(k), real estate, and other investment holdings will be mailed to your home. Plus, upon signing up for this program, you will receive an unsigned photo of the player lounging during the lockout on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean (for a signed photo, please include an additional $150). Put the photo on your refrigerator to remind you of other peoples' suffering.

HOW WILL HE KNOW I'M HELPING?

Your NHL player will be told that he has a SPECIAL FRIEND who just wants to help in a time of need. Although the player won't know your name, he will be able to make collect calls to your home via a special operator in case additional funds are needed for unforeseen expenses.

YES, I WANT TO HELP!

I would like to sponsor a locked out NHL player. My preference is (check below):

[ ] Forward [ ] Defenseman [ ] Goaltender [ ] Entire team (Please call our 900 number to ask for the cost of a specific team - $10 per minute) [ ] Jaromir Jagr (Higher cost: $32,000 per day)

Please charge the account listed below $694.50 per day for the duration of the lockout. Please send me a picture of the player I have sponsored, along with an Jaromir Jagr 2001 Income Statement and my very own Bob Goodenow (Executive Director of the NHLPA player's Union) pin to wear proudly on my hat (include $80 for hat).

Your Name: _______________________

Telephone Number: _______________________

Account Number: _______________________ Exp.Date:_______

[ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa [ ] American Express [ ] Other

Signature: _______________________

Alternate card (when the primary card exceeds its credit limit):

Account Number: _______________________ Exp.Date:_______

[ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa [ ] American Express [ ] Other

Signature: _______________________

[Karim]

So who does Sutter get to centre Jarome?
No one. Reinprecht takes over the role.

[Karim]

The WHA held its franchise-player draft:
http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/news/media_releases/top_story.htm

[Honolulu_Blue]

you know, Hasek kind of LOOKS like the Sens logo...

A little bit, he does.

I'll be the first to admit Hasek is a weird guy. There was that whole thing during the Senators-Buffalo series a few years back where Hasek was "injured" and was staying at the home of some Senator. There was the time he attacked Bondra. The talk of retirement. The injuries. All of that.

That said, he's been a pretty stand up guy when it comes to money. Last year he gave back (or refused to accept) a large portion of his contract with the Wings because he didn't play. He then goes and signs a $2 million deal with the Senators that will pay him an additional $4 million if they win the Cup. I think that's a pretty fair deal.

Not much more to say than that.

Oh, it appears as if the Wings are brining Chelios back for around $3 million. It's a one year deal. It's pretty much done, save for the details.

[Draft Dodger]

how to know your wife is a hockey fan, part 27:
you learn the Avs have a new coach from her.

I am on cloud 9 - Joel Quenneville! I hope this isn't a cruel joke (it's not official yet). Quenneville is exactly what the Avs need. Well, Bob Hartley is exactly what they need, but I digress.

this totally makes my day.

[Cards4ever]

I wonder how this will work out.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1835446

[Draft Dodger]

Quenneville also gets bonus points because he was a Colorado Rockie. (I need to get one of those goofy jerseys)

[sachmo71]

Poor Tony.

[Cards4ever]

Poor Tony.

It's what happens to former Badgers!

[Hurst2112]

Poor Tony.

No shit. I haven't been following the off season that much, but I feel bad for Tony.

Wasn't he given a vote of confidence at the end of the year? I thought I remember hearing that, shortly after the Avs were ousted. I know that any promises for a coach don't amount to anything, but I would think Tony was taken by suprise by the move.

Not to mention Quenville isn't the greatest coach. Maybe wings fans should be celebrating the fact. Oh wait, it's 2004 and I'm talking about the Avs.

No worries! (:D ;))

[Hurst2112]

It's what happens to former Badgers!

Question is, do you think he will find another job? I am not so sure he will. Perhaps as an assistant in the NHL. Hopefully.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Question is, do you think he will find another job? I am not so sure he will. Perhaps as an assistant in the NHL. Hopefully.

From what I've heard, Granato is stepping down and is taking a job as an assistant coach under Quenville. I think that's what I read. He already was an assistant coach there. It could be sort of odd, but I am sure they can manage.

Lacroix loves Granato. I think he wants him to stay with the organization.

[bbor]

Odd situation in Colorado with Granato staying on as Asst.

Odder situation in Dallas where Hull may sign....again.

[bbor]

Listening to sports radio in Toronto..Leaf fans are hilarious.

They are ripping on Ottawa for signing a 39 year old goaltender.......Uhh...guys....Eddie is the same age eh..

Also they are saying that Ottawa will NEVER win a cup with Alfredsson as their captain....cause he's a SWEDE??????

I guess Sundin is Canadian?

[Johnny93g]

Listening to sports radio in Toronto..Leaf fans are hilarious.

They are ripping on Ottawa for signing a 39 year old goaltender.......Uhh...guys....Eddie is the same age eh..

Also they are saying that Ottawa will NEVER win a cup with Alfredsson as their captain....cause he's a SWEDE??????

I guess Sundin is Canadian?

Hasek is 39, but he's played 14 games in 2 years....and Eddie has shown no signs of slowing down...he relies on positioning, not reflexes, so Im very happy he's back....

It's not that Ottawa's captain is swedish that they wont win a cup....It's that it's Alfferdsson, that fat, pussy, cheap shot, dirty bastard.....He's not a leader, he's a snake

[MrIllini]

'splain me this one

Granato gets demoted for playoff failure, and they turn around and hire Quenneville?

[sachmo71]

Jeez, Johnny. There are dirtier players in the league than Alfredsson. What's you beef with him?

[klayman]

Jeez, Johnny. There are dirtier players in the league than Alfredsson. What's you beef with him?
Hell, there are dirtier players on his favorite team even.

[Maple Leafs]

Alfredsson's not that dirty. Actually, he's probably not even in the top 50 dirtiest players.

He does, however, play the "holier than thou" card in the media so often that you can forgive people for paying more attention to his cheapshots.

[Draft Dodger]

Alfredsson's not that dirty. Actually, he's probably not even in the top 50 dirtiest players.

He does, however, play the "holier than thou" card in the media so often that you can forgive people for paying more attention to his cheapshots.

sounds like a Swede on MY favorite team... :D

[Hurst2112]

'splain me this one

Granato gets demoted for playoff failure, and they turn around and hire Quenneville?

Wurd. Exactly what I was thinking.

[Karim]

Not unexpectedly, Moscow Dynamo wants $2 million to release Ovechkin...
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=577&e=2&u=/nm/20040707/sp_nm/nhl_ovechkin_dc

I hope it doesn't reach a point where teams pass on a guy because their afraid they won't be able to sign him...

[Karim]

Reported by the Bergen Record:

By TOM GULITTISTAFF WRITER

Scott Niedermayer has fired his agent, clearing a potential obstacle from the Devils' efforts to re-sign the reigning Norris Trophy winner to a long-term contract.

The NHL Players' Association confirmed Wednesday that Niedermayer, a restricted free agent, is now being represented by North Vancouver-based agent Kevin Epp, a longtime family friend who grew up not far from Niedermayer in Cranbrook, B.C.

According to an NHL source, Epp and Devils' general manager Lou Lamoriello are working on a deal that would pay Niedermayer, 30, an average of nearly $8 million per season over four or five years. That would place Niedermayer slightly above Martin Brodeur and Scott Stevens at the top of the team's salary structure. It is not known if Niedermayer's deal will include deferred money, as Brodeur's and Stevens' contracts do.

~~~~~
In related news, Madden is in-line to make $4.6 million this year and Friesen signed his qualifying offer for $3 million.

Was I asleep when Steinbrenner bought the Devils?

[bbor]

Who was his agent?

[Chubby]

Sabres dropped ticket prices a lot YAY!

And jacked up prices on the Toronto games to screw the Leaf fans :D

[Cards4ever]

The Wild have signed Brian Rolston.

[bbor]

Buffalo has a team? :D

[henry296]

The Penguins are considering opening a slots parlor in order to help finance a new area.

[Maple Leafs]

Joe Thorton signs with a Swiss elite team.

Um... what?

[Draft Dodger]

Joe Thorton signs with a Swiss elite team.

Um... what?

the first of several, I think (although not a mass exodus, because I think most teams have limits on the number of "foreign" players, a la the CFL). He does have an opt out if the NHL plays.

Really, a GREAT move for him - he's a Restricted Free Agent, so this gives him much more leverage than he normally would have had.

Bruins, meanwhile, have lost Sean O'Donnell, Mike Knuble, Brian Rolston, and Glen Murray is probably on the way out as well. What a shame.

[Draft Dodger]

Buffalo has a team? :D

aka Ottawa's farm system.

[Chubby]

aka Ottawa's farm system.

They can have our rejects. Suits me fine, they'll continue to flame out in the playoffs every year :D

[Karim]

WHA targetting Sidney Crosby but the league sounds more and more like a joke...
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1089324611810&call_pageid=1044442959412&col=1044442957278&tacodalogin=no

[Karim]

Thornton sells condo... sounds like his time in Boston is over...
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040710/NHL10/TPSports/TopStories

Iginla's contract will set the bar for everyone...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040709.wmaki0710/BNStory/Sports/

WHA is not going to Halifax ... and remains a joke...
http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/aj_walling.asp

[Draft Dodger]

Thornton sells condo... sounds like his time in Boston is over...
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040710/NHL10/TPSports/TopStories


interesting - he was walking distance to the Fleet.

[klayman]

They can have our rejects. Suits me fine, they'll continue to flame out in the playoffs every year :D
Opposed to Buffalo's stellar performances ;)

[Chubby]

Opposed to Buffalo's stellar performances ;)

How many Stanley Cup finals have the Sens gotten to recently? I thought so :p

[Tekneek]

And how old is the Buffalo franchise? How old is the Ottawa franchise? Nothing like fans of two recently bankrupt franchises bickering...

[Chubby]

And how old is the Buffalo franchise? How old is the Ottawa franchise? Nothing like fans of two recently bankrupt franchises bickering...

We're not bankrupt, haven't been close for over a year now.

Ottawa wishes they were Buffalo, even Buffalo pays it's players :)

[klayman]

And how old is the Buffalo franchise? How old is the Ottawa franchise? Nothing like fans of two recently bankrupt franchises bickering...
Whoa whoa whoaaaa. I was just making a funny. In no way whatsoever do I wish to be considered an Ottawa fan.

[klayman]

How many Stanley Cup finals have the Sens gotten to recently? I thought so :p
Recently, none. But at least they do have a Stanley Cup to their name :)

[Chubby]

Recently, none. But at least they do have a Stanley Cup to their name :)

Unless recently means 1927 that is :p

[klayman]

Unless recently means 1927 that is :p
It doesn't, but 1927 is the number of years you'll have to wait until the Sabers win one. :p back at ya :)

[Chubby]

It doesn't, but 1927 is the number of years you'll have to wait until the Sabers win one. :p back at ya :)

Nah, I don't think they will get close this year (maybe playoffs if there's a season) but in a couple of years the Sabres can be a contender. Certainly moreso than the bumbling Sens.

[Tekneek]

Nah, I don't think they will get close this year (maybe playoffs if there's a season) but in a couple of years the Sabres can be a contender. Certainly moreso than the bumbling Sens.

Sure thing. :D

[Karim]

The Sabres definitely have three stud goalies. If they could ever package one for some help they'd be on their way.

I still don't Hasek is the answer but we'll see...

[Chubby]

The Sabres definitely have three stud goalies. If they could ever package one for some help they'd be on their way.

I still don't Hasek is the answer but we'll see...

Lalime was a decent goalie, I never thought he was the problem with the Sens. They have NO toughness, they're all pretty boys. No grit. Signing Barnaby who isn't the player he used to be won't help. Curtis is ok but I'm not sad to see him gone.

Believe me, EVERYONE (al the fans) would love to see them just trade one, make 1 the starter and 1 the backup. There's no need for 3. It looks like Noronen will be the one traded 1st IMO. I know they don't want to deal the wrong guy but they can't keep all 3 forever (since you can only protect 2 goalies or expose more forwards in the waiver draft) so deal one and improve the blueline.

[bbor]

I really like the Sens team...they have talent out the ass...but i think they need a purpose/cause to win for.

They need a Ray Bourque type to play for to win him a cup before he retires.

[Draft Dodger]

I really like the Sens team...they have talent out the ass...but i think they need a purpose/cause to win for.

They need a Ray Bourque type to play for to win him a cup before he retires.

Brian Leetch?

[Maple Leafs]

I really like the Sens team...they have talent out the ass...but i think they need a purpose/cause to win for.

They need a Ray Bourque type to play for to win him a cup before he retires.
They really need a Gary Roberts type. Everyone sees it. Roberts himself would have been perfect. Brendan Shanahan would be great. Even a second-tier Steve Thomas type would have been fine. But instead they went and got Bondra. Sigh.

Any former Sabres out there who'd fill the Roberts role?

[Draft Dodger]

Any former Sabres out there who'd fill the Roberts role?

Rob Ray?
*snicker*

[Maple Leafs]

Rob Ray?
*snicker*(Puts on Leafs fan hat.)

Oh please god, let them bring Ray back again.

[Draft Dodger]

in other news, I guess the Tony Twist comeback wont be in Edmonton...

take 2 (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/St.+Louis+City+/+County/312CC2D72285F1CE86256ECD00137993?OpenDocument&Headline=Tony+Twist+wins+$15+million+verdict)

[bbor]

Brian Leetch?

Leetch already has a cup.

[Karim]

I'm now convinced that the owners are hiding money - legally. I've been reading a book called "Levelling the Playing Field" written by an econ prof and goes into detail about baseball economics but the principles are applicable to any sport.

No wonder the players don't trust the owners in either sport. There are so many related-party transactions amongst these owners, then can squirrel away money from the team and declare on financial statements that they've lost money. Both Wirtz and Huzienga can, with a straight face and with legal documents, say they don't make any money through luxury boxes even though the United Center has the most boxes in the NHL and Huzienga sold 67 @ $100,000 for every Marlins home game the year after their World Series victory. This is just one example.

Meanwhile the union wants to see the full books, not just the team's but every operation owned by the owner. Not a chance but the request is fully understandable seen in this new light. So every time owners refuse to open the full books, you can certainly bet their squirreling money away into their other business to make their franchise seem unprofitable. Yet, they'll turn around and sell the team at a substantial percentage increase.

And it appears the Devils are in the fold of YankeesNets... although I would have remembered more publicity on this matter. Anyway, if they indeed are, they're now the richest tean in the NHL. The breakdown of the Yankees finances in the book is nothing short of jaw-dropping...

[Draft Dodger]

I'm now convinced that the owners are hiding money - legally. I've been reading a book called "Levelling the Playing Field" written by an econ prof and goes into detail about baseball economics but the principles are applicable to any sport.

there is NO question in my mind that this happens.

[bbor]

Lecavalier replaces Yzerman on the Canadian WC team.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Lecavalier replaces Yzerman on the Canadian WC team.

:(

Well, it was time. I think it's the best of all worlds for both sides. You give Stevie Y the respect he deserves by putting him on the team. This looks good for both Yzerman and Team Canada. Then Yzerman gets to gracefully bow out, leaving the spot open for a younger player. This benefits team Canada. Yzerman is god. Actually you can draw parallels between Steve and the Almighty. Back in the day (see: Old Testament) there was nothing he couldn't (or woludn't) do. Nowadays (see: New Testament) he's still an aswesome force to be revered and worshipped, but just not, well, quite as active.

Am I going to hell for this?

(Note: No more posts after 2 hours and sleep and before coffee)

[bbor]

:(

Well, it was time. I think it's the best of all worlds for both sides. You give Stevie Y the respect he deserves by putting him on the team. This looks good for both Yzerman and Team Canada. Then Yzerman gets to gracefully bow out, leaving the spot open for a younger player. This benefits team Canada. Yzerman is god. Actually you can draw parallels between Steve and the Almighty. Back in the day (see: Old Testament) there was nothing he couldn't (or woludn't) do. Nowadays (see: New Testament) he's still an aswesome force to be revered and worshipped, but just not, well, quite as active.

Am I going to hell for this?

(Note: No more posts after 2 hours and sleep and before coffee)

Naw...you're not gonna go to hell for this,but for being a Red Wings fan in general will get you a trip to the firey gates of hell:)

Looks like Blake is gonna drop out too.They are looking at Mccabe as a possible replacement.

[sachmo71]

Radio station KTCK 1310 The Ticket is reporting that defenseman
Richard Matvichuk has signed a four-year contract with the New
Jersey Devils.

Mark Stepneski
http://www.andrewsstarspage.com



Something tells me that he's going to bounce back and have a great year. :(

[bbor]

Can't believe Lamarello is opening the wallet for everyone except Niedermeyer.

I'd give up 5 first rounders to sign him.

[Karim]

Yzerman is god.
No, no, no. Wayne is God.

[Karim]

Can't believe Lamarello is opening the wallet for everyone except Niedermeyer.

I'd give up 5 first rounders to sign him.
It's just a matter of time. Neids fired his agent and no doubt sees the value in $40 million over 5 years.

I didn't realize that YankeesNets has disbanded and the 28% share they had owned in the Devils has been sold. It doesn't sound like the plan of a Newark arena has come to fruition.
http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1087967551189550.xml

[Karim]

Just what the NHL needs... another credibility problem...
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=90974

And the NHL knew about it...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040713.wxvanhelm0713/BNStory/Sports/

[bbor]

ML should be happy....Fraser may take over for Van hellemond:D

[Karim]

If anyone cares, here are Forecaster's final grades for the 2004 draft...
http://www.forecaster.ca/demo/hockey/extras.cgi?2004NHLDraft-Grades

I believe it was Ken Linseman that took the NHL to court for denying the ability of an 18 year old to make a living. Since then the draft has been open to anyone 18 years old. Most people agree that it is much easier to assess talent at age 20. Does anyone know if this is something that could be collectively bargained?

[Pyser]

interesting interview with lou lamoriello.....who says the guy doesnt have personality?

ok, ok. so he doesnt. but as a devils fan, an interview like this does nothing but make me smile. (from espn):

ESPN.com: How would you assess your team's performance last season, regular season and playoffs?
Lamoriello: Going into the season we certainly felt very good. When you're coming off a Stanley Cup win you always have a bit of apprehension. The summer's shorter and the celebrations are longer, but we were extremely pleased with the players and the shape they arrived in at training camp. Their focus was there and their commitment, and we felt that way right from the beginning. And any time you get 100 points you have to feel that things went well. This team competed as well as any team that we've had here during the regular season because they overcame significant adversity to get there.


We had a chance in the last game to win the division (a 3-1 loss to Boston). In the playoffs, we came off a couple of injuries, (along with Stevens, defenseman Brian Rafalski missed a dozen games down the stretch with a broken fibula and was not 100 percent in the playoffs) and this is not to take anything away from Philadelphia. There were close games that could have gone either way, but they didn't. We could have come out of it just as easily as we didn't. In the playoffs it caught up to us a little bit.


You can never replace a Scott Stevens. What he brings to the locker room. What he brings to the ice. What he brings anywhere.


As for the team's perceived lack of scoring, Lamoriello was nonplused.


I mean no disrespect, but I leave those discussions to you people. Even when we were one of the top-scoring teams in the National Hockey League people said we didn't score enough. We scored a lot more goals than we gave up. Unless something has changed, it's all about winning. You have to score more goals than you give up. It's all about the goal differential.


The Devils were 4th in the NHL with a plus-49 goal differential.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: Which player made the most significant strides in your estimation or had the biggest impact?
Lamoriello: If I have to look back at the end of a season at one or two players that stand out we haven't played the way our system dictates us to play. But our two young defensemen -- David Hale and Paul Martin -- are highlights because they came right out of college and we gave them a Devils uniform and gave them the minutes and the opportunity and they accepted them. And they are both character and quality individuals.


Martin, a University of Minnesota product, averaged 20:07 in ice time a night and chipped in 24 points while Hale, out of the University of North Dakota, had four assists while logging 15:01 in ice time per game.


We always say we don't want to be in a rebuilding year in New Jersey. Every one of us from management to coaches have to sort of buy into the process. These players had to go a little quicker. But if you'd told me in October or September that they would have been at this level I would have been ecstatic. So there were positive things that came out of (the injury situation).




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: Which player needs to bounce back or take the biggest step forward if there is hockey this season?
Lamoriello: I try not to deal in hypotheticals. Until we have our team actually finalized all of these things are just hypotheticals. Today, for instance, we made an addition to our club, Richard Matvichuk. When you do things it changes others. We'll know more when the time comes.


(As for Matvichuk) he certainly fits into the defensive defenseman side of our pairings. He brings size and strength and more important, experience in winning. He's in my mind relatively young at 31. It won't take him long to get into our system.


I would hope he's more of a compliment (to Stevens) than anything else because Scott's very important to our team. We're prepared for all situations and circumstances.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For many years, the Devils have been considered the best franchise at evaluating talent. In spite of regularly drafting late because of their regular-season success, Lamoriello and director of scouting David Conte always seem to find the right players for their system, players who step seamlessly into the mix. This training camp the team's top prospect Zach Parise, the son of longtime NHLer J.P. Parise, will get a long look as will a handful of other forwards including Finn Tuomas Pihlman, Russian Aleksander Suglobov and perhaps late-blooming Ilkka Pikkarainen, another Finn.


ESPN.com: Which player not on your roster has the best chance to make an impact next year?
Lamoriello: In my mind there are four young forwards. Any of them, given the opportunity, could make that step. Any of those four has the ability and the size and the strength to do what's necessary and we'll make the decision. All can play in Albany, and there's always a chance we could make a move that could open a spot like we did with David Hale and Paul Martin. We always say, the players will dictate who plays. No one else.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: What is the top priority in improving the organization?
Lamoriello: Everywhere.


ESPN.com: Anything more specific?
Lamoriello: Even if I thought we had a deficiency I would not talk about it.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: What was your favorite moment from last season?
Lamoriello: I don't think there's one highlight. Certainly, it would be the play of the two young players I've spoken about (Martin and Hale) and to see Scott Niedermayer at the end of the year recognized (with the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman) for what he's been doing for years.


ESPN.com: Least favorite moment?
Lamoriello: Every game we didn't win.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: What activity, destination or hobby will take you furthest away from hockey this offseason?
Lamoriello: I think all of us have different ways of getting away. Reading a book, seeing a movie, spending time with children. All of these. But one specific area, I don't have one specific area. But you have to be able to step back because if you don't I don't think you make decisions with a clear head.


ESPN.com: Any book or movie suggestions?
Lamoriello: No, not really.

[Cards4ever]

Gotta love them former Gophers! Paul Martin is someone I've watched since he was a freshmen in HS, what a treat it is to see him succeed at the highest level.

[henry296]

Cards,

What is your impression of the Peguins second rounder Alex Goligoski. Many people thought it was a reach. He has committed to Minnesota.

Thanks
Todd

[Cards4ever]

Henry/Todd,

Goli, like most of the U of M d-men that we are seeing go to the pros(Leopold to a certain extent, Martin, and especially Ballard), are offensive D-men. He would be playing in the USHL this season if Ballard had not signed with Phoenix. He definitely needs some time in college before heading to the pros. Playing on the big sheet will improve his already impressive skating skills, as he will have much more room to cover. He was one of the guys that Minnesota really wanted to get, so, that should tell you of how well thought of he is.

Now, if you guys could just let us develop him for 4 years, we would really be happy!

Remind me again in December, and I'll be glad to give you a update!

[henry296]

Thanks for the scouting report.

The information in Pittsburgh is that they really like his skating ability and I love a good offensive d-man.

The Pens history is to let kids get experience in college. They did that with Brooks Orpik, Ryan Whitney and Noah Welch. Craig Patrick is strong believer in that.

[Cards4ever]

He's in a good place for development, he's going to have to work hard for his spot and he's going to play against top-notch teams, so, we both can hope for good things to come for Alex!

[sachmo71]

Inverview with Mike Modano on the radio yesterday. Might be more interesting for me than you guys, but it's sort of a glimpse into how important chemistry can be in sports:


Modano on BaD Radio
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Stars captain Mike Modano made an appearance with the BaD Radio guys on The Ticket Thursday afternoon. He talked about a variety of topics, including his struggles last season, his much talked about financial problems, his relationship with Bill Guerin, about Brett Hull possibly returning to Dallas, why he may not be able to play in Italy or in the WHA if there is a lockout and more. Here are some of the highlights.

On talking to ex-Stars coach Ken Hitchcock Wednesday

"I talked to Hitch yesterday.
[When it was suggested that he hated Hitch] I love Hitch. Just catching up. See how he is doing. He's doing all right."

On Ed Belfour signing a new contract with Toronto, which includes money even if there is a lockout, and whether he got that kind of money guaranteed in his contract

"I didn't. I was being a nice guy. Nice guys finish last. It's good for Eddie though. Three-year deal. He'll be playing until he is 41. Making $8 million. You kidding me. Those owners are losing money. Toronto's not losing money. They are doing fine.
[When asked if anyone forced owners to hand out big contracts] No. Not at all. We are the bad the guys. They've got to raise ticket prices to pay for the salaries, unless there is some sort of cap instituted. But I believe other sports have raised their ticket prices and they have caps. Other teams have relocated and changed cities and they have caps. They still raise prices. Teams still move. Seems like those caps are working for them. It comes back to the players."

On what he has been doing this summer

"Just hanging out. Playing a lot of golf. Messing around.
[When asked if his golf game has improved due to the extra time] Really the opposite of that. I think the more I've played the worse I've gotten. It's been a bad summer for golf. Bad year all around. Golf, hockey, you name it."

On whether he has been away from hockey long enough to have started missing it

"I'm getting there. Now we have to start early because of the World Cup. Now you have to fast forward things about three weeks and have to start working out earlier. I am going to plan on start skating next week."

On whether the Stars early exit from the playoffs was like other early exits or if this one was particularly bitter with some finger pointing

"It got to the point where there was a little blame game going on. There was a lot of tension. There was a lot of pressure to win from Mr. Hicks and Doug [Armstrong]. [They put] together a team they felt could compete and win a Stanley Cup. So there was a lot of tension, knowing that our labor agreement is unresolved and going into this year we don't know if we are going to play. There was a lot of attention put into last season because of what I just said. So that was the hard part. Coming in every day to perform. Everybody looking over each other's shoulders wondering what they are doing wrong, why they are doing this and why is this player playing with this person. Just a lot of second guessing and it went on for all year. It got to the point where there was a lot of frustration through the locker room and the management. Things just never got resolved. It just really kind of snowballed. We had a great run somewhere in mid-February to March. We had a great month-and-a-half, two months of the season, but other than that it was just back and forth."

On the first round lost to Colorado in the playoffs

"They pretty much took advantage of the weak spot of our team and that was probably our defense. Not being able to be physical on [Peter] Forsberg or [Milan] Hejduk and those guys, to make them pay the price. That's how you win in the playoffs. You just have to beat on those guys physically, wear them down and to hope that they don't go into those hard areas. If they know they aren't going to get touched or hit, those guys just skate around. You saw how they played. They were just toying with us."

When asked if the Stars missed Derian Hatcher

"We missed some size and some physical presence. (laughter).

When asked about Richard Matvichuk signing with New Jersey

"Matty got a great deal. He got what he was asking for. His market value for him stayed strong. He got what he wanted. He was asking for what he deserved. All the best to him. For us, we have [Sergei] Zubov, [Philippe] Boucher. I still think they are looking for a left-handed defenseman to fill that spot with Don [Sweeney], [Trevor] Daley, [John] Erskine. So, they'll have their work cut out for them."

On what last season was like for him personally

"It was long. It just got off to a bad start and it just never got on track. There were a lot of things distraction-wise that kept me from focusing on the game. It was just one of those years. Just write it off. Get it over with. One of those years I can't ever see happening again."

When asked if he kept track of his plus/minus rating

"You can kind of dissect that stat until the cows come home. There are a lot of times where we are stuck on the ice when we pull the goalie. We got scored a ton of goals on us when we pulled the goalie, nine or ten times this year. So that is a nice little minus that is chalked up. Just five-on-five we didn't score many goals. We had a good power play. That was kind of our bread-and-butter. If we didn't score on the power play, we weren't going to win games."

On when it was pointed out that he just seemed defeated through most of the season

"I was exhausted, dead tired. Just waiting for that last game to end so I could get away from it all."

On his much publicized financial problems

"I think if I could do it over again I think I would have kept that pretty quiet. I think I just opened up a can of worms and people just came to their own conclusions about what happened. The rumor mill starts flying around this town and everybody has an explanation of what went wrong. They [could do] their own little research with their own answers. The fact is there were some people that were involved in my business and lifestyle that, to look at it now, should have never been doing what they were doing. That was a live and learn experience. The trust factor of having people do that is very critical. We don't go to school. We don't go to college. We don't have business degrees. We don't have any idea how to handle that. So, you try to find the right people to do that so you can focus on hockey. Once I didn't have those right people. Now I have to go out and find some new people and not concentrate on hockey. Once practice was over I was gone for six or seven hours a day doing this for four or five months to try to resurrect things, clean it up, get the paper trail a mile long of all this stuff and get if over with. It took a good five or six months to do that. Now it's back to normal."

When asked if it was true that these money problems were caused by a friend that screwed him

"Oh yeah. The money thing wasn't the problem. People saying you lost $15 million to $20 million. If that was the case you would have saw me jumping off a bridge. That was far from it. It was just the matter of the trust thing with this guy, who you think is a friend. We had a lot of great times together. We were pretty close. He just made some bad decisions that weren't in my best interest. I thought that in the back of my mind he was handling those things. He didn't do them very well."

On the incident where it was reported that his Stanley Cup ring was up for sale on eBay and whether it was related to the financial stuff

"No. No. That was an actual mistake. I had another one made. I had a better one made, actually, one that I could wear. I kept the original. The people who made it kept the original on display because they wanted to show what they did. Some how having it on display, it got acquired. It's totally separate."

When asked if he any idea if there will an NHL season in 2004-05

"Not really. Every week the tune changes. We had our meetings in Toronto. The Board of Governors had their meetings a couple of weeks ago. It's more or less prepare for the worst and hope for the best. It would be tough to have the start of the year. I can't really see the whole season being missed. That one year in 1994 we started in January. It turned out to be great. It was a great second half. Great playoffs. Just depends on how firm everyone wants to stand on their positioning."

On suggestions he might play in Italy if there is a lockout

"It's an opportunity, a chance to go out there and play. Right now, I am kind of stuck with an insurance issue of getting on-ice coverage. I think if I got hurt playing in those games, I'd be in trouble. I wouldn't be covered here and I'd lose my contract here if we started up again. Insurance companies can't touch me right now [because of] age, past injuries and plus I've got a policy out already. So now they're thinking maybe he'll take a dive and collect on two policies.
[When asked about the WHA] They both kind of fall under the same deal. If I went and played and got hurt.... "

On the rumors that he and Bill Guerin don't get along

"You had a situation where people were trying to find why the Stars were losing and why we weren't being successful and I think people just try to create one. That was one that they created between Bill and I. Bill and I have known each other for years and we've played together before. It was fine. We are comfortable with one another. We have different thoughts and philosophies on the game but, all in all, when we get on the ice we play together well. We play together hard and try to do the best we can. Off the ice, you don't have to be the closest of friends and do everything together like people think you should do.

When asked if the fact that he is single and Guerin is married with kids plays a role

Being here this long I have a lot of friends outside the game, which has kind of helped me an awful lot. We have something like 50 something kids on our team between the whole lineup of guys. Everybody who is married, after this summer, Steve Ott is getting married I think and [Niko] Kapanen. Niko is tying the knot. [When asked if Niko was marrying a Dallas girl]. No. He can't even speak English. (He is marrying a girl from Finland). So when I am done practicing or done playing, I don't spend time with those guys. They're great friends and great teammates, but I have a life away from my job just like everybody else does. Again, it was just people trying to pry and dig and make a story that really wasn't there.

On the talk about Brett Hull possibly returning to Dallas

"I love Brett and I think he is one guy that I have connected with when he came here. We just have kind of a relationship where we think and have opinions on a lot of the same things. It was amazing playing with the guy. I had the most fun in the game when he was here. Just watching him play. How he scores. His attitude. How he approaches the game. How he relates to the media. The game would be colorful and the game would be exciting if we had two dozen of those type of guys in the league. He doesn't beat around the bush. He speaks his mind."

On the story about Hull shooting the puck into the corner after Ken Hitchcock saying something about goals not being important

"Hitch was trying to get his point across that goals, at this time, the way were playing, weren't important. That just hit a nerve with Brett. If you ask him he says he'll give you 600 or 700 reasons why they are important. He was there for primarily scoring goals and to be told that goals weren't important, so his next few drills he just went down the ice and shot it in the corner, got back in line and did it again. Hitch told him to get off the ice. He told him, 'No, I am not going anywhere. How can you say that goals don't matter?' When those guys were here it was pretty comical. We had some good run-ins with Hitch."

On the importance of guys like Hull and Mike Keane when Hitchcock was around

"Those guys were crucial when Ken was around. If we didn't have him [Keane] around we would have been in straight jackets. We would have just lost our mind. Those guys just kind of broke the ice. They were old. [Craig] Ludwig and [Brian] Skrudland and [Guy] Carbonneau, those guys really kind of were able to be the cooler between the coaches and the rest of the players. Keaner is probably one of the funniest guys I've played with. We had an optional in L.A. and he didn't go on the ice. He took Hitchcock's jumpsuit, stuffed it with towels and put baby powder in his hair to make it look like he had gray hair and came out and ran practice for an hour. Hitch is upstairs in the window watching this thing with [assistant coaches Rick Wilson and Doug Jarvis]. He would do things like that. Hitch on the private planes and the charters would always look for the cookies and the goodies and Mike would grab them all and hide them. Ken would go up and down that plane looking for those cookies. Keane would ruffle the package so [Hitch] could hear it and he would turn around checking to see who the hell has my cookies.Some great stories. He was a great, funny guy."

When asked if he thought Hull would end up with the Stars

"I don't know. They've talked to him a few times. The philosophy is they want to go younger and faster as a team. To have him around this time to kind of help maybe develop some of those kids and teach them a little bit. Kind of pass some things on from him. You can never too much from Brett as far as how to score, how to shoot, where to be on the ice. If it works out it would be great."

On some people saying he was not captain material

"There again, we didn't get off to the start that we wanted so people had to find something that was wrong with the team. There's a new captain and that must be the reason. That didn't change my personality. Guys would know if I tried to come in there and be a different guy than I was prior to that. They would see right through me. I wasn't going to change as far as that and how I approach the game and how I play never changed. I tried to do what I could on the ice. I tried to lead that way and tried to be consistent in a game in and game out player."

When asked if it would have bothered him if someone else had been named captain

"Probably not. I'm just not the kind of guy who gets worked up over that kind of thing. You still have to go out and play. You still have to go out and perform and contribute for 82 games. It wouldn't have bothered me. They would have found somebody that did the role and we still would have had the same season."

On the 2003-04 Stars lacking that mentality of we won't go quietly that seemed to a part of Dallas teams in the past

"There was a lot of deer in the headlights. Guys really didn't know how to respond or how to act on the ice and respond to how they were playing us. Back when we had those great seven game series with Denver in 1999 and 2000, prior to that we had a group of guys together and Denver just came off winning in 1996, so they had a couple years where they had a little slip in their game. Peter and Joe and they got Hejduk and [Alex] Tanguay and Patrick [Roy] came in they just started taking off again. We were always trying to grade ourselves with Denver and Detroit. So those were the two teams everyone was measuring stick against. We finally felt like we caught those guys. After we did a lot of the guys that were on those teams obviously are gone. Now there is a learning curve to deal with those guys again. Mainly they still have a lot of guys still there from those teams. We have a lot of guys who have never been in those type of series. Played a Peter Forsberg for a seven game series and try to kill the guy because he's dominating, he's talented as ever. It's a trickle down effect. Guys didn't know how to react to that. That's a good learning experience for us. Hopefully, if we ever have shot you know who to watch when you are on the ice again."

On whether Derian Hatcher was a vocal, screaming captain

"No. No. He was pretty quiet. We had supporting cast guys who would be vocal and kind of say their two cents. Hatch did speak up once in a while and say his piece. [Those supporting voices are missing] a little bit. We are trying to find some new guys like that. Stu Barnes is like that. Rob DiMaio. Brenden [Morrow] is trying to fit into that role, but he is not a very outspoken guy. He's one that does it on the ice. A lot of the new guys that we acquired. [Aaron] Downey is great in that aspect. [Philippe] Boucher is starting to get a little better. [Jon] Klemm is starting to find his little niche. It takes a little while for those guys to feel comfortable to speak up to say this it how it should be and not think that everybody is going to shoot them down when they start speaking up."

When asked what players the Stars should get rid of

"Where's the roster?" (laughter)

[Draft Dodger]

Don Cherry is coming back to HNIC for at least one more year.

Mike Danton is pleading to conspiract to commit murder, and probably wont be back anytime soon.

[bbor]

DD where did you here this?

They havent said anything on radio yet?

[Draft Dodger]

DD where did you here this?

They havent said anything on radio yet?

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=91264&hubName=nhl

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=91237&hubName=nhl

[JonInMiddleGA]

Atlanta Thrasers star Danny Heatley was indicted today on first-degree felony & misdemeanor charges related to the traffic accident that killed teammate Dan Snyder last year.

If convicted of the most serious charge, Heatley faces 3 to 15 year in prison.

Snyder's family had lobbied for leniency in the case.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/0704/16heatley.html

[bbor]

Hrm.....odd day for hockey :(

[Draft Dodger]

Hrm.....odd day for hockey :(

tough offseason for hockey...

[Karim]

A list of players who have filed for arbitration...
http://www.nhlpa.com/Content/PRESS/nhlpa_press_release.asp?ID=454

The WHA is still a joke...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5412689

[Karim]

The WHA's free agent draft... "Founders' franchise" for that mysterious franchise that doesn't yet exist... what a joke...
http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/

[Karim]

dola,

As you can probably tell, I'm completely enamoured with the WHA. :rolleyes:

[bbor]

2nd over all pick Travis Green?..LMAO!

[Tekneek]

2nd over all pick Travis Green?..LMAO!

It looks like some of them are actually drafting guys they might be able to sign, instead of wasting them on guys who would never consider it.

[Ryan S]

I would expect the WHA to successfully start if there is an NHL lockout this year. Even if it is thrown together at the last minute. This is way too big an opportunity to miss if you have any kind of ambition of starting a new league.

I am saying nothing about the long term chances.

[bbor]

It looks like some of them are actually drafting guys they might be able to sign, instead of wasting them on guys who would never consider it.

It STILL blows my mind:)

[Karim]

Vancouver may walk away from Cloutier and Morrison... (I can't see it happening...)
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=91483

[bbor]

Karim have you bought your season tickets for the WHA yet?

[Karim]

Karim have you bought your season tickets for the WHA yet?
Well, now that the Nordiks are in, I'm just waiting for the Flamers to be officially announced... :rolleyes:

Did you know...Texas has the most professional hockey teams in North America.

Did you know...The first native Arizonian was drafted this year... I don't remember his name or what team drafted him or when... but that's not important. :D

[bbor]

Did you know you are a Ardent hockey enthusiast? :D

[Honolulu_Blue]

Did you know you are a Ardent hockey enthusiast? :D

You know these last three years in Belgium will really come in handy if (when) there's a lockout. For all intents and purposes I've been living without any real hockey for three years. So little will change. Though given that I'm moving back to the States at the end of this year, the timing could have been a little better.

I worry about Karim though. I fear he's going to turn into some Rain Man like character puttering around and spouting off random useless hockey facts and cursing the WHA in tourettes-like profanity filled explosions. In fact, I think it's already too late...

[sachmo71]

Did you know...Texas has the most professional hockey teams in North America.




YAY!! :D

[Karim]

I worry about Karim though. I fear he's going to turn into some Rain Man like character puttering around and spouting off random useless hockey facts and cursing the WHA in tourettes-like profanity filled explosions. In fact, I think it's already too late...
:D

It's worse... I've started an EHM Dynasty!

[sachmo71]

Wing resign Shannahan.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=91742

[Karim]

I still think it's too much but at least it is $2 million less. If he can regain his form then fine, but he's up there in age and it really showed against the Flames. HB is probably closer to home on this one and will give us a more accurate assessment.

[Cards4ever]

Originally Posted by Chubby
If you've bothered to read any articles on ESPN.com or The Buffalo News you'd know they haven't even offered A contract. The last articles I saw were talking about how they were "talking" but Vanek was quoted as not being offered a contract.

I think they would rather have him in Minnesota much like they had Miller stay at Michigan St.

He also plays against college kids, remember that. I'm not saying he won't be a stud, I hope he is.

Chubby, when you get back on the board, read this

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=1843089

ESPN.com: Who is your top player in your system ready to play in the NHL right now?
General manager Darcy Regier: There's probably just one player who's got a shot at it, Tomas Vanek out of the University of Minnesota. If he's signed, he would be someone at training camp that would have a chance to make our team. He came over here from Vienna as a 14-year-old to play in Red Deer, Alberta, to pursue his dreams of playing in the NHL. He has so far been fulfilling his dreams. He's an interesting kid.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I still think it's too much but at least it is $2 million less. If he can regain his form then fine, but he's up there in age and it really showed against the Flames. HB is probably closer to home on this one and will give us a more accurate assessment.

Shanahan's play has declined over the last two years, especially in the play-offs. There was a huge outcry from Red Wings fans to dump Shanny after last year. He took the brunt of the criticism. He doesn't have great speed (never did), but he doesn't really play physical anymore either. He doesn't hit. He doesn't fight. He doesn't play with the required "mean streak" you'd hope (expect) to get out of a power forward with his size. In a lot of ways he played like Hull last year. He would coast into the slot and stay there waiting for a one-timer. More importantly over the last two years in the play-offs (16 games) he has 2 goals and 6 assists. You really need more out of one of your top line forwards.

His current deal is $2 million less than he made last year (and would have made if the Wings picked up his option). But apparently there are a number of incentives in the contract that could boost his pay up to around the same amount.

As with many things Red Wings-related, I didn't agree with the bulk of Wings fans on the Shanny issue. Yes, two goals in sixteen play-off games and no physical presence is unacceptable for a goal-scoring power forward, but I like Shanahan. He still scored 25 goals last year (30 the year before). He's a great character guy and a leader. It would be a shame to lose him especially considering there is really no apt replacement in the system. The Wings could have tried to go the free agent rout and sign someone cheaper, but who knows how that would have worked out (see: Whitney).

[Karim]

Here's one of the better articles I've read about the CBA...
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/Jeff+Gordon/2A74A7FB0E251F1B86256ED900642876?Opendocument&Headline=No+hockey+this+year%3F+It+might+be+the+best+solution

[sterlingice]

The more and more I read about this, the more and more this feels like the baseball labor situation. Hopefully the NHLPA isn't as strong as the MLBPA and some sanity can be restored.

SI

[Maple Leafs]

Here's one of the better articles I've read about the CBA...
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/Jeff+Gordon/2A74A7FB0E251F1B86256ED900642876?Opendocument&Headline=No+hockey+this+year%3F+It+might+be+the+best+solutionGreat article. However, the guy seems to base most of his argument on the assumption that a year with no hockey = a year off of everyone's contract.

Unless I've missed it, that's far from a given. Remember, the NHL argued successfully during the Yashin holdout mess that a contract year doesn't count if the player doesn't play. They may very well have set a precedent with that case that will cost them big time.

[Karim]

The more and more I read about this, the more and more this feels like the baseball labor situation. Hopefully the NHLPA isn't as strong as the MLBPA and some sanity can be restored.
I've read that Goodenow sees the MLBPA as the "cadillac" of professional sports unions and confers with Donald Fehr on a regular basis. That doesn't auger well for an amicable agreement.

[Karim]

Great article. However, the guy seems to base most of his argument on the assumption that a year with no hockey = a year off of everyone's contract.

Unless I've missed it, that's far from a given. Remember, the NHL argued successfully during the Yashin holdout mess that a contract year doesn't count if the player doesn't play. They may very well have set a precedent with that case that will cost them big time.
You're right. No doubt legal challenges will be the result of owners trying to suggest contracts are expired.

[Ryan S]

Personally I hope that a salary cap is not put in place. I hate what the cap has done to the NFL.

[Karim]

I think everyone agrees the $31 million hard cap is bogus. I'd actually be very surprised if a hard cap was implemented; it will never be agreed to by the union and will be used by the owners to get some sort of concession. When the salary cap is removed from the table, ownership will proceed toward some sort of luxury tax. The union will huff and puff but realize that's the future course and they'll haggle over the details of a graduated tax rate. The other elements such as arbitration, free agency and entry level salaries are not really that acrimonious and a consensus should be reached fairly easily.

Unfortunately, there won't be any meaningful discussions until September; it's Goodenow's deliberate strategy not to have substantive discussions until the 11th hour when the pressure's on.

[Karim]

Interesting stats I just came across. Flames dollars per minute of ice time...

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=313><T><TBODY><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Players

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>03-04

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>04-05

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>Avg

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$/Minute

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Iginla

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>7,000,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>7,000,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>21.25

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$4,017

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Simon

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,500,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,900,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>12.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,817

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Gelinas

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>2,400,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,950,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>14.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,612

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Yelle

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,600,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,800,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>15.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,394

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Lydman

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,700,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>2,400,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>21.25

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,377

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Reinprecht

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,500,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,900,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>17.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,363

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Kobasew

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,130,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,130,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>10.25

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,344

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Warrener

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,800,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>2,200,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>20.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,341

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Turek

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>4,250,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>2,000,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>60.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,333

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Saprykin

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,000,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,200,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>13.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,064

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Gauthier

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,400,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,540,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>18.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$1,002

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Nilson

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,100,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,250,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>15.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$968

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Leopold

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>900,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,750,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>22.25

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$959

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Regehr

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,250,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>1,750,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>22.50

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$949

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Clark

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>700,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>825,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>14.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$719

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Donovan

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>752,950

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>850,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>15.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$691

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Nieminen

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>600,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>600,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>12.50

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$585

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Kiprusoff

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>880,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>2,000,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>60.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$585

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Loyns

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>430,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>473,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>10.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$537

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Ritchie

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>550,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>14.00

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$479

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Lombardi

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>500,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>550,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>14.50

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$463

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Commodore

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>515,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>566,500

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>15.25

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$453

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Montador

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>350,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>425,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>11.75

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$441

</TD></TR><TR><TD width="22%" height=16>Ference

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>500,000

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>625,000

</TD><TD width="13%" height=16>18.50

</TD><TD width="22%" height=16>$412

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Karim]

dola,

Now calculate how many minutes you need to work to match Ference's per minute salary, let alone Iginla's...

[bbor]

How much is that per tooth? :)

[sterlingice]

I think everyone agrees the $31 million hard cap is bogus. I'd actually be very surprised if a hard cap was implemented; it will never be agreed to by the union and will be used by the owners to get some sort of concession. When the salary cap is removed from the table, ownership will proceed toward some sort of luxury tax. The union will huff and puff but realize that's the future course and they'll haggle over the details of a graduated tax rate. The other elements such as arbitration, free agency and entry level salaries are not really that acrimonious and a consensus should be reached fairly easily.

Unfortunately, there won't be any meaningful discussions until September; it's Goodenow's deliberate strategy not to have substantive discussions until the 11th hour when the pressure's on.
Yeah, but if he's taking points from Fehr then the luxury tax will be so meaningless as to do anything but penalize the Rangers. In baseball, it wasn't so much the luxury tax that scared owners away from the huge contracts as the prospects of losing money and the fact that they couldn't get insurance for guaranteed contracts over 3 years that covered a pre-existing injury. So, in other words, if this goes like the baseball negotiations, the NHL will be fucked because they don't have the revenue streams that even baseball has.

As for the 11th hour, that's what I always hated about these negotiations. In 1994, if I had been where these two sides were "meeting" for months, not even trying to resolve things with a gun and an armed group of mercenaries (I really need to stop watching these late night action movies), I would have taken over the damn building and locked them in their rooms until they hammered out an agreement. Then again, I was younger and more impressionable. Still, it's just frustrating that this will all come down to "who blinks first" and "who makes more public PR bungles in the next three months" to decide what happens. NOTHING LIKE PISSING AWAY MONTHS TRYING TO GAIN ONLY MINOR POSTURING POWER WHILE THE WORLD PASSES YOU BY AND FUCKS OVER YOUR SPORT. http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/mad.gif

Ahem... did I mention I'm not real big on these type of negotiations...

SI

[Karim]

The 11th hour strategy bothers me too. If either side truly cared about the sport or the fans, they'd be negotiating every day. There are no reasons why this couldn't be resolved by September 15th.

[klayman]

The 11th hour strategy bothers me too. If either side truly cared about the sport or the fans, they'd be negotiating every day. There are no reasons why this couldn't be resolved by September 15th.
One reason: Greed.

[bbor]

One reason: Greed.

But whos greed?

[klayman]

But whos greed?
Simple, both sides.

[sachmo71]

I don't even care about the particulars. I just want them to play.

[Karim]

I don't even care about the particulars. I just want them to play.
Unfortunately, I have to care about the particulars or I may no longer have a team. :(

The Alberta owners have said as much. Both Edmonton and Calgary have held on until 2004, hoping some economic sense returns to the game. The 38 Oilers owners and the 9 Flames owners won't be willing to lose any more money on an annual basis. I don't blame them. And no one should expect them to divert money from their other businesses to prop up the teams.

[bbor]

Simple, both sides.


DId you just call me simple? :)

I could be simple...i AM a hockey player:D

[klayman]

The Alberta owners have said as much. Both Edmonton and Calgary have held on until 2004, hoping some economic sense returns to the game. The 38 Oilers owners and the 9 Flames owners won't be willing to lose any more money on an annual basis. I don't blame them. And no one should expect them to divert money from their other businesses to prop up the teams.

Unless the NHLPA drastically changes their stance or the NHL comes up with some sort of financial stability package, NHL hockey is dead in Alberta. Unfortunately, neither the NHLPA or NHL seem to give a crap about it.

[klayman]

DId you just call me simple? :)

I could be simple...i AM a hockey player:D
No, I would have called you a dumbass if anything :D

[bbor]

No, I would have called you a dumbass if anything :D


AHAHHAHA


I actually was wondering if anyone in this thread or how many people in this thread played hockey.....and still play hockey?And hwat kinda levels?

[Karim]

I actually was wondering if anyone in this thread or how many people in this thread played hockey.....and still play hockey?And hwat kinda levels?AAA Sr. Men's Couch Potato; I'm deadly on a breakaway to the fridge. :D

[Karim]

Torterella goes apeshit now that Cullimore signed with Chicago...
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/24/Lightning/Tortorella_decries_la.shtml

[Draft Dodger]

Torterella goes apeshit now that Cullimore signed with Chicago...
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/24/Lightning/Tortorella_decries_la.shtml

what planet is Tortorella from?

[sterlingice]

Could someone give me a scouting report on Cullimore? I saw him in the playoffs last season but that was about it.

SI

[Draft Dodger]

well, my wife surprised me with a new jersey today - a white Maple Leafs jersey. for those who don't know, I have a decent collection of hockey jerseys. I think this makes it 17. Here's what others I have (off the top of my head).

Colorado Road (Sakic)
Colorado Third (Sakic)
Colorado Practice (Black) - probably my favorite
Kings Road
Kings Old-Time (the garish yellow ones)
Nordiques Home (my 2nd fave)
UNH road
Manchester Monarchs Road
Manchester Monarchs practice
Hershey Bears Road (with my name and favorite number...42)
Thrashers Road
Senators Road (with my name and number again) - the older style, not the goofy ones
Sabres Road (Hasek)
Chezck National Team (Hasek)
Oilers Third Jersey
Albany River Rats Home

my wife today also got an Aneheim 3rd Jersey, which means she has 5 now - that one, a Bruins Bourque jersey, an Avs Roy 3rd Jersey, a Samsonov All-Star jersey, and one of the newer Coyotes jerseys.

I think I'm forgetting one though...
I used to have a black Kings jersey from the Gretzky era, but that disappeared (or I grew out of it, and my wife made it disappear)

[Honolulu_Blue]

well, my wife surprised me with a new jersey today - a white Maple Leafs jersey. for those who don't know, I have a decent collection of hockey jerseys. I think this makes it 17. Here's what others I have (off the top of my head).

Colorado Road (Sakic)
Colorado Third (Sakic)
Colorado Practice (Black) - probably my favorite
Kings Road
Kings Old-Time (the garish yellow ones)
Nordiques Home (my 2nd fave)
UNH road
Manchester Monarchs Road
Manchester Monarchs practice
Hershey Bears Road (with my name and favorite number...42)
Thrashers Road
Senators Road (with my name and number again) - the older style, not the goofy ones
Sabres Road (Hasek)
Chezck National Team (Hasek)
Oilers Third Jersey
Albany River Rats Home

my wife today also got an Aneheim 3rd Jersey, which means she has 5 now - that one, a Bruins Bourque jersey, an Avs Roy 3rd Jersey, a Samsonov All-Star jersey, and one of the newer Coyotes jerseys.

I think I'm forgetting one though...
I used to have a black Kings jersey from the Gretzky era, but that disappeared (or I grew out of it, and my wife made it disappear)

All right, DD, if I were to buy you say, an Yzerman Wings Jersey, would you 1) wear it and 2) promise not to deface, defile, or spoil it in any fashion? :D

There is a lack of an Original Six in your collection.

My Jersey collection is simple:

Red Wings White
Red Wings White (Yzerman)
Red Wings White (Fedorov)
Red Wings Red (Klima)
Oilers White (Klima) -- Mayhap, the only one in existence!
NHL All-Stars (Fedorov)

That's it, I think.

[sterlingice]

I only have 4:

* My first was the black downward skate Canucks jersey. I was a big fan of Pavel Bure and I loved the look of it.
* My second was, of course, a red Blackhawks jersey and wasn't the first just because I found the 'nucks jersey first and I wanted first.
* Next was a JR jersey with the Coyotes. I love the look of their jerseys and I still liked JR from his time in Chicago.
* Lastly, when he was in Montreal on business, my dad got me a red Habs jersey. I don't have any love for Montreal but it's from my dad and a hockey jersey so I use it as the one I play in because I don't care too much if it fades.

SI

[JeeberD]

I have an Oilers jersey. Folks here in Dallas don't seem to appreciate it very much... :)

[sterlingice]

I have an Oilers jersey. Folks here in Dallas don't seem to appreciate it very much... :)
Now that's comedy.

SI

[Maple Leafs]

I got a Craig Berube Leafs jersey for Christman in 1991.

Those of you who remember your Maple Leaf trade dates will appreciate how well that worked out.

[Draft Dodger]

All right, DD, if I were to buy you say, an Yzerman Wings Jersey, would you 1) wear it and 2) promise not to deface, defile, or spoil it in any fashion? :D

well, here's a dirty little secret: I actually like the Wings. honest. in fact, during the season, if the Avs aren't on, we'll generally watch the Wings, since we like the broadcasters and the team is ok.

there's very few jerseys I would refuse to wear - Rangers (just HATE this team), Blue Jackets (just HATE these jerseys), Flyers (associate them with Bobby Clarke AND Eric Lindros. yuck), and the Habs. Other than that, I'm pretty open to anything. My wife has wanted 2 Flyers jerseys (Desjardins for a while, and now JR) and I haven't been able to get them for her.

discovered since I posted that this Leafs jersey is actually one of the old-style Vintage ones (with the solid blue sleeves, not stripes). and, it's got a fight strap. wicked cool.

definitely into the old-style, 80's era jerseys - Colorado Rockies and Minnesota North Stars are high on my wish list right now. Also would love to get one of the old Stan Smyl-era Canuck jerseys (the yellow/orange upside-down triangles), but I don't think my wife would let me wear that out of the house/

[Draft Dodger]

speaking of Canucks, the resigned Cloutier (who sucks) and Morrison today, so no chance of the Sinden-style arbitration releases for those guys.

[Karim]

I'm not huge on jerseys but I have:

- an old Flames home jersey (white - no name)
- a new red 'Black C' Flames home jersey (no name)
- an old home Rangers Messier jersey

I refuse to put any name on a Flames jersey; it's not about the name on the back but the logo on the front.

[bbor]

Not as big jersey guy myself...but i have 5 Autographed game worn Doug Gilmours.I dunno why i have them.

H_B.....Does Klima have a restraining order against you yet? :D

DD...your wife is the bomb diggity...is she available:D

[Honolulu_Blue]

H_B.....Does Klima have a restraining order against you yet? :D


Um.... Why the hell do you think I'm living in Belgium? :D

[Honolulu_Blue]

I refuse to put any name on a Flames jersey; it's not about the name on the back but the logo on the front.

I have actually gone down this path over the last 6 or so years. I wear my old Wings home jersey, no name. Actually the last time it was officially washed was in 1998. I wore to game 4 of the 1998 Stanley Cup finals where the Wings swept the Caps. (The Capitols. What in hell were they doing in the finals? It still baffles me.) We danced in the streets following the game and then hung around forever. I evenutally got the jersey signed by both Don Cherry and Ron MacLean. Don't want to lose those two. So no wash.

[Ksyrup]

I've never been big on jerseys, even as a kid. The only one I have now is an Yzerman jersey. Anyone else, and I wouldn't have wanted a name/number, but I figured that (a) he ain't going anywhere else; (b) he IS the Red Wings, and (c) it'll still be relevant even after he retires.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I've never been big on jerseys, even as a kid. The only one I have now is an Yzerman jersey. Anyone else, and I wouldn't have wanted a name/number, but I figured that (a) he ain't going anywhere else; (b) he IS the Red Wings, and (c) it'll still be relevant even after he retires.

You are very wise in these matters.

[bbor]

H_B who is the greatest Wing of all time.....Klima..or Yzerman:D

[Karim]

Mike Vernon. :D

[Draft Dodger]

DD...your wife is the bomb diggity...is she available:D

a short time after we were married, my wife and I were trying to corner a cat to take it to the vet. we had her trapped in the kitchen - I blocked on door, Christine was at the other door. Christine stood in the doorway, opened up her legs, and when the cat ran for daylight, she closed her legs and grabbed the cat. or, as she described it "I showed the cat the five hole, and then took it away at the last minute". THAT is the exact moment I knew I'd married the right woman!

[Draft Dodger]

Dolare jerseys:

usually, I don't get players names/numbers on the back either. Too much turnover. I have to REALLY like the player to do that. Sakic and Hasek are the only 2 names I have (other than I couple with my name and number).

[Honolulu_Blue]

H_B who is the greatest Wing of all time.....Klima..or Yzerman:D

Why must you toture me so?!? :D

It's a very tough call. Very tough. I will have to get back to you on this one. Though, I think, as the Founder, President, and sole Life-Time Member of the Petr Klima Fan Club, I think I may have to recuse myself...

[sterlingice]

a short time after we were married, my wife and I were trying to corner a cat to take it to the vet. we had her trapped in the kitchen - I blocked on door, Christine was at the other door. Christine stood in the doorway, opened up her legs, and when the cat ran for daylight, she closed her legs and grabbed the cat. or, as she described it "I showed the cat the five hole, and then took it away at the last minute". THAT is the exact moment I knew I'd married the right woman!
Absolutely priceless!

SI

[Karim]

The NHL back in Kansas?
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/9257406.htm?1c

[sterlingice]

That's been the talk for a month or so now (I have a post in here somewhere). There's a big arena vote next week.

SI

[Cards4ever]

Gophers home white
Flyers home(road now) white
Nordiques home white

The Gophers jersey has Mayasich on the back, The Flyers has Lindros and the Nordiques is plain.

[sterlingice]

Thibault agrees to one-year contract <noscript>Thibault agrees to one-year contract

</noscript> <!-- END HEADLINE SWF FILE -->
Associated Press
<!-- template inline --><!-- insertinlineAd --> CHICAGO -- Goaltender Jocelyn Thibault (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=688) agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=chi) on Wednesday.

<!-- BEGIN INLINE UNIT --> http://adsatt.espn.go.com/ad/sponsors/blank/blank-espn.gif (http://log.go.com/log?srvc=sz&a=1&drop=0&addata=1331:228:141468:65&guid=FB5456FC-478D-4FCB-9321-740918ACD73E&goto=)<!-- InContent Blank -->
<!-- END INLINE UNIT --> Financial terms of the deal were not announced.

Thibault appeared in 14 games for the Blackhawks last season after undergoing hip surgery in November. He went 5-7-2 with a 2.85 goals-against average.

Thibault had one of his best years in 2002-2003, when he made his first NHL All-Star appearance. He has played six seasons with the Blackhawks, posting a 137-142-37 record with a 2.63 goals-against average in 321 games.

Thibault ranks fourth on the team's all-time win list. He has appeared in 536 games over 11 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks, Quebec/Colorado and Montreal, posting a 227-217-68 record with 36 shutouts.

Good to see this taken care of, but I didn't think there was much doubt of it happening.


SI

[primelord]

All right, DD, if I were to buy you say, an Yzerman Wings Jersey, would you 1) wear it and 2) promise not to deface, defile, or spoil it in any fashion? :D

There is a lack of an Original Six in your collection.

My Jersey collection is simple:

Red Wings White
Red Wings White (Yzerman)
Red Wings White (Fedorov)
Red Wings Red (Klima)
Oilers White (Klima) -- Mayhap, the only one in existence!
NHL All-Stars (Fedorov)

That's it, I think.
HB,

You can go ahead and buy me an Yzerman jersey. I PROMISE I won't do anything to defile or deface it. http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Karim]

Did anyone else get sick when they heard Pronger got $10 million?

[Karim]

Good article on this year's crop of arbitration...
http://proxy.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?page=04arbitration

[Johnny93g]

I own 4 jerseys- All Leafs

Gilmour road from 92
Clark Home from 97
Muller Home from 98
Sundin Home from 01

Im thinking my next one will be a Yzerman or Cujo wings Jersey.........excuse me while i go throw up

[bbor]

Did anyone else get sick when they heard Pronger got $10 million?

I got no problem with his contract...if anyone deserves it..he does.

[Karim]

The contract just leads me to believe the owners will eventually cave.

[bbor]

I think that it was Pronger after the 1 year deal thinking that the FA age will drop to 29 or so.

[Karim]

Most likely and I know St. Louis had no choice but to qualify him at $9.5 million (his contract stated he'd get a $500k signing bonus if he was qualified) but I still find it frustrating. Iginla is now probably not going to sign for less than $8 million.

[Karim]

A good article on the state of affairs...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04214/354837.stm

[Honolulu_Blue]

Man, we slipped all the way to page 5, boys!

Finally some news. Hull signed a two-year deal with the Coyotes. Sorry, Sach. Then again, don't know if you wanted Hull back in Dallas or not.

Primer, you're never getting anywhere near a Wings jersey. Ever. :D

[sachmo71]

Not really. It would have been nice because I like him, but this team needs to see what it's youngsters can do.

[bbor]

Wazzup with the Yotes...makin some noise out in the desert.

[Karim]

The Flames signed former-Flame, Jason Weimer, another "Sutter-type" player. In general, this is a good move but it really depends on how much he's getting.

Meanwhile, Denis Gauthier settled on a contract before his arbitration hearing. He'll get $1.6 million next season and $1.75 million in the second year of the deal. This is clearly too much for a 5 or 6 defenceman for a team like Calgary.

But then you look at the McCabe deal... :rolleyes:

[Draft Dodger]

Man, we slipped all the way to page 5, boys!

Finally some news. Hull signed a two-year deal with the Coyotes. Sorry, Sach. Then again, don't know if you wanted Hull back in Dallas or not.

Primer, you're never getting anywhere near a Wings jersey. Ever. :D

well, it IS the Coyotes, so he's probably just in Phoenix until the next trading deadline

[klayman]

Finally some news. Hull signed a two-year deal with the Coyotes.
Hate to see the Wings give up on their young prospects like that :D

[Draft Dodger]

Hate to see the Wings give up on their young prospects like that :D

I think they let him go just to clear a roster spot for Dino Ciccarelli

[Honolulu_Blue]

I think they let him go just to clear a roster spot for Dino Ciccarelli

Word around Wing camp these days is that, in addition to Dino, they have a couple of great kids about to hit it big. Mel Bridgeman and Harold Snepsts. Remember these names. It wont be the last time you hear them.

[klayman]

Word around Wing camp these days is that, in addition to Dino, they have a couple of great kids about to hit it big. Mel Bridgeman and Harold Snepsts. Remember these names. It wont be the last time you hear them.
Bah...those guys are at least 3 to 4 years from cracking the lineup.

[Karim]

If anyone is interested, due to the lockout, Forecaster is providing an on-line 2004-2005 edition for free.

Just click on the picture of Martin St. Louis and provide an e-mail address to receive a download link...
http://tsf.waymoresports.thestar.com/thestar/hockey/index.cgi

[Karim]

Is anyone is getting World Cup fever?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/feature/featureStory?page=2004worldcup
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/WCH2004/
http://www.wch2004.com/

I'm not too excited yet but I didn't realize that Ovechkin is going to play. Remember when an 18 year old Lindros suited up for Team Canada in 1991? I remember him crushing Joel Otto behind the net and breaking Ulf Samuelsson's shoulder. He was physically dominant. It's too bad that intensity never lasted into the NHL.

I hated when Ovechkin pulled a Ribeiro at the World Juniors; the Halifax crowd gave it to him too and rightfully so. It'll be interesting to see what the most hyped prospect since Lindros brings to the table playing against the elite before ever seeing regular NHL competition.

ESPN is showing a quarterfinal but the final will be on ESPN2. What is up with that? It must be a typo.

[Cards4ever]

Got my tickets today for the WC games. Can't wait! Should be a busy weekend of hockey, the MN HS Elite League starts their season that weekend too.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I haven't thought too much about the WC games, but I will get excited as it grows closer. Hopefully I'll be able to catch some games on TV at the local sports bar. Tough to say really.

The 1996 Canada Cup was some of the best hockey I've seen. The games were absolutely fantastic. Very exciting. Then again that whole 1996-1997 year was good for hockey. Well, at least from a Wings' fan perspective.

[Cards4ever]

Dola-The Cup was at the Ice arena where I go to skate yesterday. I didn't go cause I was cheering for Calgary, would have felt funny to go lift it. Ben Clymer had it and he took it all over town, even over on campus, gotta love that.