Cujo traded

[Guest bob_barron]

From espn-

The Maple Leafs traded the rights of Curtis Joseph to the Flames late Sunday night, reported ESPN The Magazine's E.J. Hradek.

 

The deal guarantees the Flames a compensatory draft pick should any team sign the unrestricted free-agent netminder.

 

The Leafs had exclusive rights to bargain with Joseph until the midnight free-agent deadline. If the Leafs had not dealt Joseph by then, he would have become a free agent and Toronto would not have been able to re-coup any compensation for him.

 

Discussions between Toronto general manager Pat Quinn and Joseph's agent, Don Meehan, didn't materialize into a new deal for the 35-year-old goalie, who was to return from a vacation in Cuba on Monday -- when teams can negotiate with unrestricted free agents.

 

 

"We didn't get a deal before midnight. You just accept it,'' assistant GM Bill Watters said. "We know Curtis won't be coming back until tomorrow and all the goalies become available at 12:01 a.m. So you just do what you have to do.''

 

Joseph is 133-88-27 with a 2.42 goals-against average in four seasons with Toronto.

 

The NHL's free agency period officially begins at one minute past midnight Sunday.

 

In Friday's meeting, Quinn offered Joseph $26 million over three years, but the stumbling block is believed to be Meehan's desire for a fourth year. Joseph earned $6.57 million last season -- the last of a four-year, $24-million deal.

 

Joseph, who broke his hand during the season, went 29-17-5 with a career-best 2.23 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in 51 games. He had a 2.30 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 20 playoff games.

 

It was an up-and-down year for Joseph, who lost the starting job as Team Canada's goalie at the Salt Lake Games after a 5-2 loss to Sweden in the opener. But he finished the NHL season on a positive -- single-handedly winning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final in Carolina with a sensational shutout and playing well in a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 6.

 

 

Fans at the Air Canada Centre chanted, "CuJo, CuJo,'' after that last playoff game.

 

Joseph, who has also played with St. Louis and Edmonton, is 346-260-81 during his 13-year NHL career.

[Guest treble charged]

This means absolutely nothing. It's possible they have a deal worked out with Joseph, and they just traded him to give the Flames a higher draft-pick, helping out their Canadian cousins, maybe.

[Guest bob_barron]

Thank you for the optimism Treble. I hope you're right

 

The year I move to Toronto they trade Cujo-

 

NOT FAIR!

[Guest treble charged]

Hey, when it comes to the Leafs, optimism is my middle name.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

What had Joseph done for the Maple Leafs. Never made it to the Stanley Cup finals. Maybe it was time for a change.

[Guest treble charged]

Joseph gives them a better chance than any other goalie that's on the market now.

[Guest bob_barron]

Uhh Verne-before Cujo they sucked. With Cujo they were awesome.

 

It's not time for a change.

 

BTW- Domi was traded to Nashville.

[Guest dreamer420]

it sucks for the leafs but i am more a flames fan than i am of the leafs. calgary needs someone strong between the pipes and they could easily me a playoff contender.

 

i'm glad he's staying in canada too.

[Guest bravesfan]

This means absolutely nothing. It's possible they have a deal worked out with Joseph, and they just traded him to give the Flames a higher draft-pick, helping out their Canadian cousins, maybe.

Don't worry barron, Sportscenter mentioned this theory as the actual motive behind the trade. CuJo will be back with the Maples within a few days or weeks.

[Guest dreamer420]

BTW- Domi was traded to Nashville.

NOOOO!!!!!

 

domi was a major part of the toronto organization. that is another big loss IMO

[Guest cartman]

Expect CuJo to end up with Detroit when it's all said and done.

[Guest MaxPower27]

Somehow I see Domi wearing a cowboy hat and hustling people out of their money in a pool hall after games. C'mon, the guy's face looks like a goddamn hick. He'll have the hat on, a flannel shirt, jeans, and the big belt buckle, and go "Yee Haw!!! I got a game against them Minnesota Wild!!"

 

It's not as damaging as trading McEachern, a top two line player, but it'll fuck the Leafs up. Not to Mention that Schwab is a decent back up goalie, so Leafs fans calm down.

[Guest starvenger]

>BTW- Domi was traded to Nashville.

 

There is a God!!

 

>Not to Mention that Schwab is a decent back up goalie, so Leafs fans calm down.

 

One problem - Schwab hasn't been resigned yet.

 

This is gonna be a very interesting summer...

[Guest redbaron51]

Well if Cujo doesn't sign with Toronto...you still have Burasso (sp?).

 

And then the leafs will be struggling to make the playoffs (lets face it, Cujo was the team).

[Guest What?!]

Actually, Yzerman, Chelios and Hull are pushing for Belfour to be a Red Wing, so Cujo still has a shot to be a Leaf. Although, I hate the Leafs so I hope he goes elsewhere.

[Guest starvenger]

>Actually, Yzerman, Chelios and Hull are pushing for Belfour to be a Red Wing, so Cujo still has a shot to be a Leaf.

 

It would be rather funny if the Leafs had to give up a 2nd rounder to Calgary if they signed Cujo, wouldn't it?

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Cujo's a Red Wing.

[Guest Karnage]

Sources say that Cujo signed a 26.5 mill three year contract with a million dollar bonus if he wins the cup. Cujo will also earn a $250,000 bonus for winning his first two rounds in the playoffs, then the same amount for the next three series wins.

 

Well I guess Belfour is going to go to Toronto now.

[Guest redbaron51]

Pat Quinn should be shot.

 

Eddie the Eagle instead of Byron Dafoe? What the hell is he smoking

[Guest DrEvil]

What does it say about an organization when their best player takes less money somewhere else because he's looking to win the cup. Leafs management will blow smoke up our asses making it look like their going for a cup run, but when the chips are down, they won't make that financial commitment of a trade or a signing to put them over the top.

 

Cujo looked at a Leaf team that wouldn't trade for a defenceman last year, and just about killed two of it's own because of it, and won't shell out the bucks to bring in one of the available stars. This is his last contract and he's looking to put the cherry on top of a great career with that elusive cup ring. He got tired of broken promises and the illusion of management going all out to win, and he moved on to a team that will do what it takes.

[Guest hockeytown9321]

Cujo is getting a 3 year deal at $24 mil a season, with a million dollar bonus for winning the cup. It's the same deal Hasek had. Boy am I gald Detroit didn't get Psycho Eddie.

 

Next up for detroit is getting chelios back, which they are pretty close to doing. TSN said it was done, but the Red Wings denied it today. Besides chelios, I don't think Detroit will do anything else in free agency.

[Guest redbaron51]

I don't think Chelios is that person who wants so much money for 2 years.

 

My offer 1 year/4 million.

 

Hopefully Montreal dumps Hackett so they can find a defence man

[Guest hockeytown9321]

Chelios wants 2 years at 6.5 million a year.

[Guest Syxx]

I hear strong rumors about Guerin going to Detroit, so keep your eyes peeled for that. On a side note, Dallas has really dropped out the chase for some impact players, I dont see them ever coming back to the top, if this is the approach they are going to take.

[Guest Ash Ketchum]

WHOOPEEE!!!!!

 

*holds up "RED WINGS ARE STILL #1" sign*

 

Now, all we need is a new coach...

[Guest hockeytown9321]

I don't think there's a chance Guerin will go to detroit, at least for the money he is asking. Holik just got 9 mil. a year, so I'm guessing Guerin wants more than that, in which case there is no chance of him coming to Detroit, nor do they need him. They aren't going to have any problems scoring. The only thing they need to work on up front is getting Fedorov signed to an extension, becasue he will be UR next year.

 

As for the coach, I'd be shocked if it wasn't Dave Lewis, with Barry Smith and Joe Kocur as assisants.

[Guest Syxx]

I agree that his pricetag might be too high, but Guerin is much more than a scorer, he is also a hell of a grinder, and if the Wings are serious about staying on top of the league longer than the next two seasons, it would be in their best interest to add a somewhat young player like Guerin, so that guys like Fedorov, and Lidstrom will have someone to complement them after Stevie Y, Hull, et al retire in the near future.

 

If the Wings pass on Guerin than they need some blue line support even if Chelios resigns. Fischer should continue to improve, but there are serious depth issues with Slegr, Olausson, and Duchesne on the way out, Kuznetsov might not be able to make the jump next season, so the wings should look towards a player like Luke Richardson.

[Guest hockeytown9321]

I agree richardson would be a good addition. I'm not saying Guerin wouldn't be a good pickup, but for that amount of money, he is just isn't worth it for the Wings.

 

I think most teams are only concerned with the next two years anyway, because there is a very real possibility of missing the entire 2004-2005 season due to the CBA running out. Contracts that go after that could very likely be voided and a hell will break loose.

[Guest Powerplay]

Where are Slegr and Duchesne going? I haven't heard any news of them going anywhere new. I think Duchesne will stay and Slegr may because they have a nice spot open for him now (Fill in Fredrick Olausson's spot). Krupp is going out, so they should have some extra cash to dish out. Did anyone notice that half of Detroit's starting defense is up for Free Agency? I find that very odd.

 

Props to getting CuJo. Got a good reliable goalie. At least we got one of the two good ones before they got taken off the market.

 

Coaching problem? Naw. Dave Lewis and Barry Smith are more qualified to coach than most other head coaches. Barry Smith has travelled around with Scotty Bowman for basically Scotty's whole career. He's probably learned a lot of Scotty's tricks over that long period of time. I'm not sure about Dave, but either way they have no coaching crisis.

[Guest Phr33k]

The Leafs just significantly lowered their overall talent pool. If Sundin goes out at all next year, they're fucked like a New York prostitute on New Year's Eve.

 

Good job by the Wings. The only bad thing is that, with their constant signings of highly-priced goalies every year, they're flushing away a potentially marvelous guy in Manny Legace.

 

The Rangers aren't gonna make the playoffs, no matter how much money they throw around. Not the right stuff, over there.

 

Dallas has to make a pitch for somebody, and they are going to have to do it now, before there's no one left. That organisation needs saving, and they need it bad.

 

The Habs did good at the draft by getting Mariusz Czerkawski off the Isles. Now, all they gotta do is sign Selanne, as has been in the rumour mill for quite some time, and get rid of Patrice Breeze-by, who has been nothing but a hindrance to the team.

 

Do the Flames really think spending the money on Marty Gelinas was a good idea? It's kinda iffy as to how long he can go without getting injured. They had better re-sign Iginla, too, or it's finished for us. However, the people they have to get back are less important than the guys they have to let go. Savard, Morris, I'm looking at you...

 

Is Bobby Holik really worth THAT much? The aforementioned Jarome Iginla probably won't get a contract quite that big, and he's way more valuable than Mr. Overpaid here. Sounds like the N-Y-R are getting desperate.

 

Will Theodore sign with Montreal? If that's not an absolute given, I don't know what is.

 

That's what's on my mind today. Drive carefully.