agreed.
although they need another proven talent at forward (Modano?) or two to keep pressure off him. He is best when he doesn't have to do it all himself. Forsberg (*sob*) would be an interesting fit here...

A guy at Eklund's message boards is saying he heard The Ticket say that the Stars have offered Modano a 3 year $12 million deal. Hopefully that is enough to make him consider staying.

I mentioned it earlier, but it merits another mention.

If Adam Foote is making $4.5 million, Zubov $4 million, Nieuwendyk and Roberts each $2.5 million, Hatcher and Rathje pulling down $3.5 million, and Demetria at $4.5 million, I am begining to think that perhaps the players didn't get screwed quite so badly after all. Sure, they could have demanded a bit more in a no-cap NHL, but these aren't bad salaries. Unless one of these guys adopts Latrell Sprewell's family, they aren't going starve.

right - Foote got a freaking raise, for crying out loud. and remember, the minimum salary went up substantially to (up to 450,000 or something), so it's not like the low-end guys are going to get screwed over either.

odd. I really didn't expect this.

Kings sign Jason Labarbera. I didn't even know he was a FA. I guess this means the Rangers will have Lundqvist as the backup goalie. Unless the Rangers feel Al Montoya is the better of the two.

from ajc.com
Making the biggest free-agent signing in their history, the Thrashers signed free-agent center Bobby Holik, a two-time Stanley Cup champion who fits the bill of the big, physical two-way center they have always needed but never had.

Holik's agent Mike Gillis confirmed that the deal is for three years. The Thrashers were temporarily withholding comment. The Canadian Web site Sportsnet.ca reported that the first year of the contract would pay Holik $4.25 million.

NOTES -- First pick Sidney Crosby hits the American national-television talk circuit Thursday, appearing on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" while training in Los Angeles.

Sportsnet is consistently beating TSN on these signings. I don't think TSN has scooped one yet.

Bob's on holidays. ;)

I agree. If they really crackdown on obstruction then those signings are going to be busts.


The Holik signing. Would he be the #1 center? I don't see Holik gelling with Heatley and Kovalchuk (provided the Thrashers are able to keep Heatley and Kovalchuk).

They should. Waddell swears he'll match any offer.

from Roto Times ...
The Bruins signed free agent winger Shawn McEachern to a free agent deal on Tuesday, according to the TSN.ca. McEachern, who played the 1995-96 season with the Bruins, had 55 points in 82 games with the Thrashers in 2003-04.

re: Holik signing & lines ...Maybe, assuming I've managed to figure out who is still here & who is gone/leaving, it's Savard on the 1st line with Heatley & Kovalchuk, Holik centering the 2nd line with Kozlov & Mellanby/Petrovicky, and Stefan on the 3rd line with Vigier & Petrovicky/Mellanby?

Do I smell another lockout brewing? :)

Florida signs Martin Gelinas.

do they know they can sign guys who aren't ex-Flames?

Amonte signs with the Flames for $3.6 million/2 years.

I also heard a rumor that McCarty signed a two year deal with the Flames as well.

There's Gelinas' replacement...

Rumors: Leafs sign Lindros & Allison...

McCarty is a heavy rumour. None of the on-line sites have verified the Amonte signing which was broken/confirmed by local media.

Gelinas got $1.8 or $1.9 million/2 years.

Stillman to Carolina for $5.25 million/3 years.
Zhitnik to the Island for 4 years.

Demitra for 4.5 million...what a crazy offseason!
Too bad about Hatcher, I guess. I wonder if the Stars actually did offer him something. Maybe he's forgiven Hitchcock?

Detroit radio saying McCarty signed for $2.2 million/2 years with Calgary. No local or on-line confirmation yet.

Martin Straka and Marek Malik sign with the Rangers. No terms yet. They've also re-signed Weekes.

talk about the dam bursting...

Several Dallas radio stations reporting Modano has re-signed. Apparently supported by this: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont....35a26a5e.html

So Mike Modano is worth less than Bobby Holik? Whu?

Almost everyone is worth less than Bobby Holik. It's been that way for years! No reason some stupid new-fangled CBA should change that.

Eklund-fueled rumours:

- Habs in discussions for Forsberg
- Khabibulin to Chicago ("90% done")
- Allison to Toronto ("definite"; no surprise)
- Panthers pushing for Pronger (also not really new news)
- Boston going after Leetch

Dave Scatchard to Boston for 4 years.

Karim is ENFUEGO!!!

I don't know what that means but if it's good, I'm that!

Flames press conference tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. for, as Sutter said, "two players out east", playing coy as usual.

HB, can McCarty play LW?

Well, he typically played on the right in Detroit. I don't think I ever remember him playing LW, but I am sure he could do it in a pinch.

It will be odd to see McCarty in another sweater. Just so many great moments and memories about the guy. He epitomizes hockey in Detroit. He will be good to have during your EIGHT games against the Forces of Darkness(tm). He plays very well against them. He likes to beat on their less reputable players. Score OT goals on them. Even recorded his only NHL hattrick against them.

Amonte and McCarty, I guess.

Don't think McCarty's ever played on the left, but I seem to remember Chuck Kobasew being on that side before, so maybe he's the one to move over.

Sportsnet just announced McCarty in Calgary for $1.6M over 2 years.

Amonte - Langkow - Iginla ???
Simon - Wiemer - McCarty ???

Amonte played for Darryl Sutter in Chicago so that probably helped.

I'm surprised at the length of these deals. 4-5 year contracts for guys in their middle 30's. I think some teams, the Flyers in particular, are painting themselves into a corner a few years down the road. Their young guys will want bigger deals while these worn-out (by that point) veterans making 3+ million will still be around. Clarke even gave Mike Rathje, who's no better than a #3 defenseman, a no-trade clause in his 5-year deal. Some GM's need a reminder that this isn't the NFL and those are guaranteed contracts.

YES! We did something! Our first free agent move in three (real) offseasons!!!

Also, Straka is a FABULOUS pick-up for the Rangers -- great player for the "new" NHL.

I like the Stillman addition, and the Amonte addition......dont like the Straka addition. I think Straka is done, and is probably overpaid too....

yep, Straka's done no matter what NHL this is

DD, we seem to be agreeing alot these days

I know. scary scary stuff.

Come on Lou, do something :(

Out of all the guys the Habs were rumored to be in the running for, only Aucoin has signed... I'm not worried.... yet.

Eklund says Marty Lapointe to Ottawa -- "4 years, 2.1". Not sure if that's 2.1 total, or 2.1 per ... but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere else yet, at any rate.

Seriously, could we get all these reporter types to standardize on a format for reporting contracts?

(If it's 2.1 total, Muckler is a genius.)

Beautiful post :D

SI

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132175

Report:Modano inks 5-year deal with Stars


TSN.ca Staff



8/2/2005 10:16:08 PM

After speculation that he may be on the move to another city, it appears that Mike Modano will remain - and most likely finish his career - with the Dallas Stars.

According to RDS.ca, Modano signed a five-year deal to remain with the same organization that drafted him in 1988. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

On Monday, reports indicated that Modano would sign with one of three teams that were courting the forward's services - the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1st round (1st overall), Modano has collected 458 goals and 1106 points in 1101 career games.

Well, on that front, both can be true. Osgood was adequate (read: 15th best goalie in the NHL, give or take) but not good enough to win a Stanley Cup by himself ala Roy, Brodeur, etc. That said, he wasn't the one who only scored about a goal a game while losing playoff series.

SI