NHL Offseason - 2007

[the max 0]

Toivonen signed a one-year, one-way contract. He's either staying to back up Fernandez or he's going elsewhere. Personally, I'd like to see them stick with Toivonen and not give up on another prospect after a bad year. Chiarelli should be shopping Murray, Thomas and Axelsson around to teams who lost out on free agents. The Bruins need to cut some salary and bring in a veteran no bullshit guy to at least show the team how to play with some passion.

[CanadianChris 0]

Question for someone who knows more than I do: Is there any reason the Rangers wouldn't try and give Lundqvist a big extension right now so as to completely avoid the problem of him being an RFA next season?

He's a restricted free agent THIS season.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

to which I follow up with this: what the fuck are we waiting for?

[CanadianChris 0]

Same reason the Senators are waiting with Emery -- they know no one's going to sign him to an offer sheet (if some team was going to, it would have already), and also know that Lundqvist will be filing for arbitration. So, there's no real hurry.

[Guest]

Garon to the Oilers, Belanger to the Wild, Zubrus and Rachunek to the Devils.

[Guest]

And we signed Brad Stuart.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

What's this my bitter Sabres-fan buddy tells me about Brendan Shanahan being found with a transvestite a few years ago? He mentioned that two Buffalo talk-show hosts kept pointing it out, if you can believe it, during the Sabres-Rangers series this spring.

 

CanadianChris may remember him as the guy I contacted CC over, re: his anti-Heatley campaign during....wait for it.....the Sens-Sabres series that followed.

[Red Baron 0]

I remember hearing that. There's a picture of Shanny with a Ball gag in his mouth somewhere on the net.

 

LA is looking good, and it seems they are confident with Labarbera.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

The Habs have signed ex-Kings tough guy Tom Kostopolous. Twenty-two points and 212 pims in 73 games last year. Not bad, we certainly need to be bigger up front.

 

Calgary has resigned both Regehr and Iginla to extensions.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

It's good to pick up some size. The team is pretty small, but quick. Add in a few bigger guys just to add some toughness.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

We've needed it for about six or seven years. Maybe he'll be the policeman that Bill Lindsay and Gino Odjick weren't.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

Hopefully. Darren Langdon had a fun little run with the Habs a few years back. Sure, all he did was fight, but at least the Habs had SOMEONE to defend their top players/drop the gloves to send a message. Plus he accidentally scored a goal for us in the playoffs, which is always a plus for a goon who plays about 3 minutes a game once the playoffs hit.

[Guest]

You Hab fans will like Kostopoulous.

 

Positives: Great in the room, would have got an A if he would have stayed with us. Can chip in on the offensive end, busts his ass on the forecheck, great defensive player, fan favorite, drops the gloves.

 

Negative: Is a human punching bag. He drops the gloves often, but he takes a big pounding. He will take an asswhoopin' for the good of the team.

 

Jeremy Roenick retired. Good riddance.

[Red Baron 0]

He should be on NBC. He's an excellent commentator.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Yeah, let him join Brett Hull. Maybe we can work Kerry Fraser and Alan Eagleson onto that commentary roster.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

JR as a color man would be gold. Make it happen!

[Fartsauce 0]

Oilers traded a 2nd round pick for a 3rd round pick and AHL journeyman Allan Rourke. The cup is finally coming home!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

*jumps off a cliff*

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Supposedly the Oilers went after a few of the bigger names (Kariya) but were shot down. Poor Edmonton.

 

Must be really annoying, especially since Calgary is a few hours away yet signs all sorts of big-name players and has no problem re-signing their franchise player.

[Fartsauce 0]

I'm reading a lot of rumours that the Oilers pulled this trade off today so they could make an offer sheet to an RFA (apparently either Vanek or Parise) It's just not going to work because the Devils and Sabres have already lost players and they would easily match anything Lowe would present to them. I've completely lost any faith I ever had in Kevin Lowe.

[Red Baron 0]

Islanders signed both Bill Guerin and Mike Comrie. And no they aren't there for +10 years.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Big news out of Oil Country: Edmonton has put forth a 7-year/50 million offer sheet to Thomas Vanek. Buffalo would receive FOUR first-round picks as compensation if Vanek does indeed go out west. Vanek had 43 goals and 84 points last season, his second.

 

 

[LaParkaMarka 0]

In hilarious small-market news, the Oilers have signed RFA Tomas Vanek to a seven-year, $50 million offer sheet. In his first year, he'd get a total of $10 million.

 

It's kind of interesting that a so-called small market team like Edmonton is trying to poach another small market team. Poor Buffalo.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Sabres matched

[treble 0]

Does Zach Parise get one now?

[Fartsauce 0]

Buffalo's GM said in the press conference.."As long as we are alive, they can expect us to present an offer sheet if its in our best interest"

 

He's clearly pissed off right now. Thank god Hemsky is signed for the next 5 years.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Yeah I don't think they'll be exchanging Christmas cards anytime soon.

 

As for the matching...they had no choice. You can't lose Drury, Briere and Vanek all in one swoop.

 

Crazy to add up the three contracts.

[treble 0]

GMs getting pissy about offer sheets is funny.

[Guest]

Any player that goes to arbitration is ineligible for an offer sheet. That takes Cammalleri out of the picture (best RFA forward left), I don't know about Parise.

 

I'm glad to see Lowe stick it to Buffalo.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

He stuck it to the Oilers and every other small market team just as badly.

 

He just drove the market up even higher. At the rate these deals are getting...we're heading for another lockout down the road.

 

...

 

So yeah...cheers to that Lowe!

[Vigo 0]

He stuck it to the Oilers and every other small market team just as badly.

 

He just drove the market up even higher. At the rate these deals are getting...we're heading for another lockout down the road.

 

...

 

So yeah...cheers to that Lowe!

 

No, he stuck it to Buffalo. This move sends a message to the big spending teams like Philadelphia and the Rangers for example. Those teams can sign those UFA to large long term contracts but because of that they'll leave their younger star players in a vulnerable position.

 

The Rangers, for example, can spend a $100 million on salary and front load the contracts all they want but if the salary cap doesn't rise dramatically they'll be in trouble because then teams like Edmonton, who have trouble attracting UFA can come in and poach their young talent knowing that the Rangers won't be able to match the salary due to the cap. Basically, it'll make GM's think twice about giving out a large contract to a 50-60 point guy when they know that they still have to sign their RFA.