NHL Offseason - 2007

[treble 0]

It's a good thing we had a lockout to get that salary cap and make sure all the big market teams don't sign all the top free agents.

 

The Leafs signing Blake is like them signing Kubina last year. Just signing someone for the sake of doing it.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Heh, I thought the deal was for $5 million a year, but it's actually $4 million. That's a pretty good signing, even if the 5th year was just overkill. Even if he only puts up 25-30 goals, he still has value in areas like the PK which is what the Leafs needed. Good value signing, and I don't think they're done yet. They could still use another winger, and a solid stay at home defenceman. I just hope this doesn't mean they've given up on Smythe, unless the Avs are going to crazily overpay him.

[cd213 0]

Rangers get Drury AND Gomez.

 

wow.

 

How sweet it is! Seems like we are going to hear Sweet Caroline a lot this upcoming season.

[bob_barron 0]

I really hate this deal. I hate Blake, and I don't understand what signing another ex-Isle accomplishes.

 

Oh, the Leafs

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I didn't realise the workings of Briere's new contract. At first glance, it's not surprising the Flyers beat out the Habs, as I don't think any player alive would turn down 10 million, let alone the 5 million signing bonus. But it's kind of tough to imagine he'll be making three and two million in the final two years, isn't it?

As I just told a buddy of mine, won't 2 million pretty well be the average salary in six or seven years? Briere will almost certainly be one of the league's top 5 players at that point. I recall saying in 2003 that he'd be Captain Canada at the 2010 Olympics.

[Nightwing 0]

Man, the first day of Free Agency, and a bunch big moves. Who are do you think are the big winners and losers right now?

 

I'm not going to call any 'winners' yet, but the losers definitely have to be Buffalo and New Jersey. I mean, losing talent like Gomez, Rafalski, Briere, and Drury is not going to help either team, and with 3 of them going to in-division rivals for New Jersey won't help at all.

[Red Baron 0]

Stephane Robidas is still out there.

 

C'mon Montreal, pick him up.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Briere will be good enough to get Philly back to the playoffs. They still need to address what's between the pipes, though.

 

The Rangers are the other big winner at this point. Depending on who signs whom, Philly might get knocked off the 'Winner' pedestal, but I can't imagine anyone making as big a splash as the Rangers.

[Vigo 0]

Briere will be good enough to get Philly back to the playoffs. They still need to address what's between the pipes, though.

 

The Rangers are the other big winner at this point. Depending on who signs whom, Philly might get knocked off the 'Winner' pedestal, but I can't imagine anyone making as big a splash as the Rangers.

 

The Flyers have Biron and I'm sure they're willing to give him a chance to be the number one guy so from that standpoint I can't see them picking up a goalie.

 

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Man, the first day of Free Agency, and a bunch big moves. Who are do you think are the big winners and losers right now?

 

I'm not going to call any 'winners' yet, but the losers definitely have to be Buffalo and New Jersey. I mean, losing talent like Gomez, Rafalski, Briere, and Drury is not going to help either team, and with 3 of them going to in-division rivals for New Jersey won't help at all.

 

 

The Islanders are big losers too, losing Blake and Poti.

 

I'm very very very pleased, a Rangers fan.

[Guest]

The Kings are the biggest losers.

 

25 million in cap room unspent, terrible season last year, terrible draft pick, terrible GM that lies to fans about signing quality free agents.

 

At least Buffalo, New Jersey and the Islanders got to taste playoff hockey last year. That's positive.

 

The Ducks are pretty big losers too. Scott Niedermayer is RETIRING. Teemu is going to RETIRE. Can't replace those two. If that happens.

[fairtoflair7 0]

The Islanders are big losers too, losing Blake and Poti.

 

Just lost Smyth

 

Oh man this is a bad day for the Isles....

 

The Rangers and Flyers load up and the Isles lose Smyth to the Avs. They need to sign someone soon. Just Jon Sim is not going to cut it to compete in the division with two mentioned and the Pens. Guerin is a must. With Poti and Kozlov gone the depth chart is thin right now.

 

Thank god they didn't give in too Blake. That's just a bad deal. I don't know why all the Islanders end up being signed by the Leafs...out of all the places.

[Red Baron 0]

Niedermayer is going to retire within the week.

 

Paul Kariya signed a three year deal with the Blues.

 

Ryan Smyth signed a five year $31.25 mil with Colorado.

[Guest]

Maybe if the Isles didn't sign DiPietro to a 15 year deal they'd be able to keep their guys. I know that everyone in the league thinks their team is a joke.

 

Sorry, that's a fact. Get mad at me if you want, but that's what almost all the GM's think.

 

The Flyers did a good job, even though Briere's deal was insane. They'll be good for a while.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Jesus. Are there any sites with payroll info for the NHL? I want to know how much cap space Toronto actually has.

[Guest]

Not updated, but the Leafs have about...5 million left. That's an estimate.

 

http://nhlnumbers.com/tor.html

[World's Worst Man 0]

Ah, that's great, thanks. Looks like they have enough for another mid-range UFA. Really wish they'd gone after Smyth though, considering his deal only averages out to a bit more than 6 million a year. Moving McCabe/Kubina/Raycroft at this point looks pointless because the prime UFA's are gone, but I suppose there's still some decent second tier guys left. It'd have to happen soon in any case.

[Guest]

I think they'll grab a player like Mike Johnson or Slava Kozlov and be done. They look like a playoff team, so it's imperative that they keep some cap space to make a move at the deadline.

[Red Baron 0]

If Toronto is going to get into the playoffs, a defenceman will be needed.

[World's Worst Man 0]

They've already done enough to get into the playoffs - getting a competent goalie. Assuming the team doesn't fall off from last year that is. But poor goaltending was the only reason they missed the playoffs. All of their other problems were just reasons why they weren't contenders.

[treble 0]

I think a top 6 of McCabe, Kaberle, White, Coliacovo, Gill, and Kubina isn't that bad. Might not win you a Cup, but they'll have a better goalie behind them this year, I hope. Not much depth, though.

[World's Worst Man 0]

If Kubina gets his act together, it'll be a huge boost, because he was a high-end defenceman before the Leafs signed him. Colaiacovo needs to stay healthy too. They need more depth everywhere though, forwards and defence.

[fairtoflair7 0]

Maybe if the Isles didn't sign DiPietro to a 15 year deal they'd be able to keep their guys. I know that everyone in the league thinks their team is a joke.

 

Are you referring to the length of the deal or the structure of the deal?....b/c I will agree that the length is quite crazy but the payout structure is real good and I guarantee you that his salary will be a bargain compared to what goalies will be getting in the next few years. Dipietro right now is a very good goaltender, he will be an elite one very soon.

[Guest]

Length. I think DiPietro is a top 10 goalie.

 

The Isles have to spend to get to the cap floor, so they're going to get something. What, I don't know.

[fairtoflair7 0]

BTW I 'd just like to point out that if I were the Kings or the Coyotes right now, I'd give King Lundqvist, the RFA in NYC a nice fat offer sheet. I don't think the Rangers would have enough cap space to match it.

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Jesus, this day has been out of control. I can't think of one guy that ended up where he was expected to, except maybe Fernandez. And it's not over:

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenceman Darryl Sydor to a two-year, $5 million contract.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Petr Sykora to a two-year contract.

According to the Team 1260 in Edmonton, the Oilers have signed veteran centre Michael Nylander.

 

I'm still very happy that the Wings landed Rafalski. Lidstrom and Rafalski on the PP (assuming they do that) is going to be sick.

[Guest]

I have on good word that Brad Stuart is going to the Canes

 

I was told that at about 7, my time. If I'm wrong, I won't post stuff like that again.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

I have on good word that Brad Stuart is going to the Canes

 

I was told that at about 7, my time. If I'm wrong, I won't post stuff like that again.

 

I had heard it was between the Hurricanes and Kings. Hope your right, as this makes the move for Jeff Hamilton make sense from a 'Canes' perspective.

[Guest]

Yeah, I got told that around 10 today. I still think he's going to Carolina.

 

We signed Tom Priessing, which was undoubtedly the biggest HELL YEAH moment I've had as a Kings fan for a while. I love that guy.

[Nightwing 0]

I dunno how making it to the playoffs last time will help Buffalo and New Jersey out, especially when they lost two of their biggest players to in-conference rivals. In all honesty, I have trouble seeing both of them lasting past the first round... if they make it at all, with Toronto looking good enough to compete and with Philly and the Rangers looking ridiculously strong.

 

I'm going to call the biggest winner as the Rangers. The team really showed a lot of promise in the playoffs, and adding Drury and Gomez to a winning mix, along with (from what I hear) having enough money to resign Shanahan, Lundqvist, and Avery was a damn impressive job. I think this team is definitely a contender for coming out of the East this year.

 

Philly is up there, picking up a lot of talent, but Philly seems to pick up a lot of talent every year, and like the Rangers did for a while, no amount of finding talent can help a team that doesn't gel. Of course, the amount and quality of talent this year really stands out (Briere, Hartnell, Timonen, Smith), so I'll give them that: They went out and got the players they needed. If the team gels quick, they'll be frightening.

 

I'm mixed on the Anaheim stuff. Scott's not retired yet, so if he doesn't, then Schneider's pick is instantly upgraded; him with Beauchemin gives the Ducks easily the most fearsome defensive corps in the league. Schneider's shot and scoring abilities are great, and using him on the second or third pairing will only help the Ducks, especially since they get so much scoring from the blueline. If Scott does leave, though, this just shows how irreplaceable he is. Niedermayer is a great defenseman who can score; Schneider's more of a good scorer who is a defenseman, and he falls a little short of the points production that Scott had in his years at Anaheim. If Teemu DOES retire, then that means a lot of trouble for the Ducks, because he was their big producer up front. I'm really doubting that he is leaving, as it doesn't seem like the Ducks are looking for a replacement for him, but I could be wrong.

 

Detroit's one move makes me happy, and that's all I feel I need to say about that.

 

Pittsburgh is looking better and better. Adding Sydor and Sykora will only help a team that basically went from "We're moving!" to "Possible Cup Contenders".

 

Man, what happened to the Islanders? Seriously, they just got most of their good stuff bought out right from underneath 'em. It's like Nashville, only they weren't actually TRYING to sell them off.

 

I have to say, after watching bunch of big markets flop last year, they are coming back in force. New York, Philadelphia, and to a lesser extent Toronto have all made good moves. Should be interesting to see if ratings and such drastically improve with these teams looking as good as they are right now.