NHL Offseason Thread

[Nightwing 0]

So who are the earlier winners looking like? Right now, despite their bigger pickups, Tampa Bay has made some good moves picking up Kolzig and Adam Hall. Chicago suddenly became a contender (even if they did overspend on Campbell, they could have done worse) and can now forget about their big mistake in Khabibulin with Huet. They might have problems down the line, but like Tampa I'm sure it restores a lot of faith that they are actually trying to compete for the Cup.

[Guest]

That Ryder contract is worse than Finger's. At least Finger actually brings something to the table other than suck.

 

In my mind, Tampa wins no matter what anyone else does. They did that well.

[Red Baron 0]

Ryder was on his way out of Montreal, but going to Boston automatically makes me hate him. If Ryder gets his scoring touch back, and working with Kessel and Savard, Boston might have one of the most overlooked first liners in the game.

 

 

And fuck you Gainey for not resigning Streit. Should have gotten rid of Mr. Tiny, Francois Boullion.

 

Streit is not a Four million dollar player.

[Red Baron 0]

Bobby Holik has returned to New Jersey. One year, 2.5 million.

 

 

 

 

So this Salary Cap thing.....

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Ryder was on his way out of Montreal, but going to Boston automatically makes me hate him. If Ryder gets his scoring touch back, and working with Kessel and Savard, Boston might have one of the most overlooked first liners in the game.

 

 

And fuck you Gainey for not resigning Streit. Should have gotten rid of Mr. Tiny, Francois Boullion.

 

Streit is not a Four million dollar player.

 

Everything about this, save the addendum about Streit. He's not worth four million, but that doesn't offend me. Jeff Finger for 3.5 does.....

Ryder scored 30 two years ago, and 30 three years ago. He'll bounce back. Maybe we could have had a "Declining players, increasingly pissing off TSMers" trade for Murray.

 

 

So as nice as the scoring touch of a Hossa or Sundin would be, the key component to add to the Habs is leadership; they certainly have it in Koivu, and to a degree, Kovalev, but the gross underachieving in the playoffs tells me maturation is going to write the success story for this team. I realise Biron stood on his fucking head, but....know what? I have no clever way of saying 'beating a dead horse'. I like Tanguay, but he's a bit of a question mark - he'll fit like a glove in Montreal, but he underachieved in Calgary, and I don't think putting him under the microscope even moreso is the way to bring him back. We'll see.

 

Get a leader, a #2 centre, and now, it appears, a stay-at-home d-man to play with Markov. I don't think any sexy moves need to be made; hey, it worked last year.

 

 

 

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I'm confused by this cap as well; Is there a bonafide 'revenue sharing' program in place in any form? If that's not the case, convince me this steadily-climbing cap is good business.

[Red Baron 0]

Komisarek can be a steady defenceman. Maybe they should get Rivet back (leadership and stay at home defenceman). Honestly Montreal, throw money at Rob Blake. Just do it.

 

 

Oh and Leafs signed Nicklas Hagman.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

With the whole deja vu movement going on in Toronto sports, I half thought the Leafs would sign Felix Potvin to a deal today.

 

I'm very concerned about who's going to back up Gerber with all of the goalie signings elsewhere today.

 

Text from my Leaf-fan brother today: "Leafs resign Cujo. Nikolai Borshevsky's agent is playing hardball, though"

 

[Red Baron 0]

With the whole deja vu movement going on in Toronto sports, I half thought the Leafs would sign Felix Potvin to a deal today.

 

I'm very concerned about who's going to back up Gerber with all of the goalie signings elsewhere today.

 

Text from my Leaf-fan brother today: "Leafs resign Cujo. Nikolai Borshevsky's agent is playing hardball, though"

 

I'm just waiting to see if Ladislav Kohn will be joining them in at training camp.

[bob_barron 0]

Dmitri Khristich- I still believe

[Guest]

Rob Blake wants to stay at home and surf. It's either play for the Kings or retire.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Rob Blake wants to stay at home and surf. It's either play for the Kings or retire.

 

Sadly, you're right. He's not goin anywhere.

[the max 0]

The more I think about the Ryder signing the more I like it.

 

We saw fucking ridiculous contracts signed yesterday. Simular players to Ryder got simular money. Cory Stillman got a 3/10.3 deal (little over 3.5 million). Radim Vrbata got a 3/9 deal.

 

Ryder has two 30 goal seasons to his name, has played well under Julien at every level (Julien has coached him in the QMJHL, AHL and NHL) and was miserable under Carbonneau. He went from a 2.95 million player to 4 million, which considering that he was on the open market is not that bad of a raise in pay. I'm sure going to the arch rival of his former team will help motivate him as well as trying to shut up the people who thought he was done last year.

 

Plus, he's only signed for three years. I'd rather roll the dice with Ryder for three years then be stuck with Redden's corpse for six, or be overpaying Brian Campbell by about 25 million dollars for the next eight years. Add in that Ryder will get to play with a top five centerman and that he can actually skate and I'm really liking it.

 

Just change the number, Mike. No more 73.

[nl5xsk1 0]

max, I'm with you ... I'm very much Ok with the Ryder signing.

 

As soon as the other GM's started throwing out the monopoly money, I was afraid that Chia would follow suit and I had these visions of a 40 year old Hossa earning $10m/season in the 11th year of his contract.

 

Am I hoping that other deals are forthcoming? Yes, most assuredly. But this signing doesn't cripple the team like a Hossa signing would have.

 

And having said that: Last year the Bruins boards were full of "Drury is going to sign here for less than market value because he went to school here!" idiocy, and then this year it was "Hossa's going to sign here for less than market value because him and Zdeno are BFF!!" idiocy. When are fucking Bruins fans going to learn that it's a business and these players are going after a payday? It's so terribly tiresome.

[Cartman 0]

Well look at the fanbase you're talking about! We're like that in every sport. It's embarrasing to be a Boston sports fan sometimes.

 

(Yes I know I have been guilty of Homerism Idiocy myself in the past.)

[Annabelle 0]

holy shit, hossa to the red wings

 

that was unexpected. i don't "get it" why the wings felt compelled to do this. its only one year but 7.4 mil is hefty, and more than even lidstrom makes. it sets a bad precedent.

[Guest]

Avery signed with the Stars at 4 years, 16 million. It doesn't bother me to have him playing in this division.

 

He tries his bullshit, Johnson or Brown will put him in an ambulance.

[Annabelle 0]

i really like avery but really hate the stars. damnit. i don't see this helping the stars at all. well, maybe.

[nl5xsk1 0]

holy shit, hossa to the red wings

 

that was unexpected. i don't "get it" why the wings felt compelled to do this. its only one year but 7.4 mil is hefty, and more than even lidstrom makes. it sets a bad precedent.

Just a one year deal, so it doesn't hamper their cap situation next year when they have a bunch of home-grown youngsters to re-sign. And it most assuredly makes them the Cup favorites. It actually makes more sense for them than it does for him. If his numbers go down, it'll hurt his bargaing position next year. I guess he really meant it when he said he was after a Cup more than anything.

 

And I don't get what you don't get ... how is signing the top FA on the market (for less than market value) ever a bad thing?

[Annabelle 0]

i understand that it is only for one year, but the wings seem to have a team with great morale and evenly balanced. understandably hossa will make them better, but i think he's just going to take playing time away from guys like filuplla, franzen, hudler, ect. also, giving him a contract like that after stating they would not do it for anyone sets a bad precedent especially with zetterberg's contract coming up real soon.

 

personally, with the money free, i'd have invested in a long-term goalie (which they may do next year or via trade) and maybe someone a little more dependable than andreas lilja on the backend.

 

i hope i am wrong. its just another ego to a lockeroom that doesn't need someone like hossa. i think?

[Nightwing 0]

Actually, it's slightly less than what Lidstrom makes (7.45 to 7.4), so they held well on that promise. And frankly I'm ecstatic; seriously, our top two lines are going to be absolutely amazing next year. Zettberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom, Filppula-Franzen-Hossa (in no particular orders)? Rockin'.

 

I think that you could make a serious argument for Ken Holland being the best GM in sports today after that deal.

[Guest]

Columbus traded Zherdev and Fritsche for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman. Nice deal for the Rangers.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

The Wings are looking like a juggernaut right now. They seriously are paying Hossa about 2 mil les than many other teams are offering, that's a steal.

 

And that is a good trade for the Rangers, although losing Avery will hurt. And having watched Redden (as a Sens fan) his whole career, NY just pissed 40mil down the drain. He can't handle the pressure of New York.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

I like that trade a lot for the Rangers, but I might miss Tyutin. Trading him probably means the Rangers intend to have Bobby Sanguinetti play in the NHL next year. I guess defensively, the Rangers have Redden, Rosival, Girardi, Staal, Sanguinetti and then probably either Mara or Malik (I'd rather have Mara, but it's effectively a wash). I like that group quite a bit, actually.

[Guest]

Orpik back to Pittsburgh. The one free agent DL wants, he cannot get. Loser.

[Zetterberg is God 0]

I can already see the first round exit in '09. Seriously though the Wings have done exceptionally well with their signings. I like the Conklin deal as now Jimmy Howard at least has someone to push him for the backup job. Surprised to see Stuart stay but I was hoping he would as he and Kronwall were looking very solid in the playoffs. And of course Hossa just adds the icing to the cake.

[CanadianChris 0]

Didn't see this anywhere -- the Pens extended Malkin for 5/43.5, starting in 2009-10. This surprised me, I did not think Pittsburgh would be able to afford him.

[Red Baron 0]

Adrian Aucoin signed a two year deal with the Caps.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Didn't see this anywhere -- the Pens extended Malkin for 5/43.5, starting in 2009-10. This surprised me, I did not think Pittsburgh would be able to afford him.

Not resigning Malone & Hossa gave them the flexibility to re-up Malkin ... and Orpik, I guess.

 

They were smart to sign him to the same deal as Crosby, too. No reason to ruffle feathers by giving one more than another. Much like I don't think it was a coincidence that Hossa went for a shade under Lidstrom, I don't think it's a coincidence that Malkin & Crosby got mirror-image deals.

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Adrian Aucoin signed a two year deal with the Caps.

 

It's actually Keith Aucoin