It's BACK! The 2005-2006 NHL Season

[henry296]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Free-spending Penguins add LeClair to roster

So I go to ESPN, see this title, and think I'm in bizarro world. Free-spending Penguins?!!?

SI

It's just like the Howard Baldwin era of the early 90s when the Penguins had one of the highest payrolls in the league.

[bbor]

Start the damn games

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I am not sure how anyone could view the Forsberg signing as a negative, unless they are convinced he's too injured to be effective or just too fragile to be worth the coin. I guess an argument could be made there.

The other moves are more questionable. They threw a lot of money at Hatcher and Rathje. This could put the Flyers in a pinch in a few years when they are shelling $4.5 million a year to a 38 year old Derian Hatcher.

As far as this year goes, the Flyers have to be one of the favorites to win the Cup, especially in the east.

My friend is totally considered about Forsberg's health, and would have just assumed keep a solid Roenick around. He, and I, hate the defensive moves, as they took a good, young, mobile defense and turned it into an aging group that feeds their family on obstruction.

As for the Edmonton-Isles trade, I'll take York and his $2mil salary over Peca, by a mile. Peca's defensive play was not all that good last season, and he is very brittle. Good chance he goes down in the first couple months of the season.

Satan is a good player who underachieved because he was on a bad team, Zhitnik could come into his own in the new open-ice NHL, Sopel is a good puck-rusher, and Lukowich is a borderline All-Star!

I think the Isles went from 12th-14th place, to 4th-6th, and made some of the biggest strides in the league.

[bronconick]

Doug Wilson out in San Jose wakes up from his nap long enough to re-sign Marleau to a 3 year deal, Sturm and Stuart to 2 year deals, and Parker to a one year deal.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

and Lukowich is a borderline All-Star!

Umm... ok. You might be just a bit excited.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Umm... ok. You might be just a bit excited.

Was he, or was he not, the 7th best +/- last year?

And how many rings does he have?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Was he, or was he not, the 7th best +/- last year?

And how many rings does he have?

wow. just wow.

[klayman]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

As for the Edmonton-Isles trade, I'll take York and his $2mil salary over Peca, by a mile. Peca's defensive play was not all that good last season, and he is very brittle. Good chance he goes down in the first couple months of the season.

You can say the same thing about Mike York, who has played the last couple of years with a long list of injuries as well.

[Travis]

Peca for York was a winger for a center deal in essense. Both players carry the injury bug with them. Both have had a year or two with some decent numbers, but the simple fact was, we didn't have room for York on the wing and he never performed well enough as a center for us to have faith in him. Peca will have a lot of help in the defensive zone, the hope is that he can score 20 with a bit more offensive freedom. His size is a plus to York, and we have more than enough team speed to make up the difference. The only minus is the contract difference which we can more than easily eat, so again I ask, how is this a bad deal in any way for the Oilers? I'm not saying it's a steal for Edmonton the way Oiler/Islander trades normally are, but in this instance I'd say each side got what it was looking for.

[bbor]

I'd take Peca over York in a New york minute...no pun intended

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

As for the Edmonton-Isles trade, I'll take York and his $2mil salary over Peca, by a mile. Peca's defensive play was not all that good last season, and he is very brittle. Good chance he goes down in the first couple months of the season.

You can say the injury thing about anyone in the league, Peca is a better hockey player then York.

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Satan is a good player who underachieved because he was on a bad team, Zhitnik could come into his own in the new open-ice NHL.

Satan will still be a good player, who will underachieve with a bad team. Zhitnik is a little old to start coming into his own now. Good hockey player, wont make any team better or worse though

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Lukowich is a borderline All-Star!

Now you sound like a Leaf fan talking about Alex Khavanov, get real

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

I think the Isles went from 12th-14th place, to 4th-6th, and made some of the biggest strides in the league.

Anything is possible, but alot has to go perfect for the Isle's and alot has to go wrong for 5-8 other teams for that to happen

[Pyser]

If the Kings are out of the playoff picture come March, and the Flyers need a center because of an injury, don't be surprised to see Jeremy Roenick come back as part of the deal's "future considerations." By March, Roenick's salary would be down to about $1.8 million.
-- Philadelphia Inquirer

[NoSkillz]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

You can say the injury thing about anyone in the league, Peca is a better hockey player then York.



Satan will still be a good player, who will underachieve with a bad team. Zhitnik is a little old to start coming into his own now. Good hockey player, wont make any team better or worse though



Now you sound like a Leaf fan talking about Alex Khavanov, get real




Anything is possible, but alot has to go perfect for the Isle's and alot has to go wrong for 5-8 other teams for that to happen

^^^ What he said.

I can talk a bit about the former Sabres. I'll let the 'bad team' thing slide...I'd prefer to call the 2003-04 Sabres 'mediocre' (they DID have a winning record and finished 10th in NHL scoring) and were fighting with your Islanders for the final playoff position until game 81 of the 82 game season. Does this mean that the Islanders are also a bad team?

Satan wasn't needed in Buffalo anymore due to the emergence of their prized prospect Thomas Vanek (42 goals in Rochester in his first professional season last year). Satan is supremely talented but is moody, lacks any type of work ethic and is terribly inconsistent. He can go for stretches looking like a superstar then turn into the invisible man for 5 games. Either way, he's a lock for 30 goals but you're kidding yourself if you think he'll be a difference maker...he was famous in Buffalo for scoring the fifth and sixth goals in 6-1 blowouts rather than coming up big in close games.

Zhitnik is a huge loss for Buffalo and will be a welcome addition to your team. However, as much as I like his tenacity, his ability to eat minutes in any situation, his skating and puck handling ability, he is a downgrade to both Adrian Aucoin and Roman Hamrlik, two guys your club have already lost. Zhitnik is 33 years old now and isn't going to get better offensively. His point shot is hard but inaccurate (he would get heckled in Buffalo for constantly missing the net) and he still makes some bad decisions with the puck. That all being said, he's a fine choice as a #2 defenseman and he'll play well for the Islanders. He's just not as good as Aucoin or Hamrlik though.

Oh yeah, Lukowich. I can't let RPI-Fan's 'All-Star' comment slide. Lukowich was only the fourth-best defenseman on his own team (behind Boyle, Kubina and Sydor...hell, Cory Sarich is better than Lukowich too) so how you can even consider him an all-star candidate is beyond me.

If you're basing this solely on plus/minus, I guess you must think that Marek Malik (19 points, tying Lukowich and a +35, tops in the NHL) should have been the Norris Trophy winner instead of Scotty Niedermayer...

[RPI-Fan]

Saying Lukowich was 4th best on the Lightning is a little off... all four of those guys are interchangable -- they play basically the same style (hard-nosed defense first hockey) and were all very effective.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by NoSkillz

Satan wasn't needed in Buffalo anymore due to the emergence of their prized prospect Thomas Vanek (42 goals in Rochester in his first professional season last year). Satan is supremely talented but is moody, lacks any type of work ethic and is terribly inconsistent. He can go for stretches looking like a superstar then turn into the invisible man for 5 games. Either way, he's a lock for 30 goals but you're kidding yourself if you think he'll be a difference maker...he was famous in Buffalo for scoring the fifth and sixth goals in 6-1 blowouts rather than coming up big in close games.

sounds like he's going to fit in PERFECTLY with Alexei Yashin.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Saying Lukowich was 4th best on the Lightning is a little off... all four of those guys are interchangable -- they play basically the same style (hard-nosed defense first hockey) and were all very effective.

I hate to pile on here...Daryl "Turtle" Sydor and "hard-nosed defense first hockey" have absolutely NO business being in the same sentence together, unless you are trying to make sachmo giggle like a school girl. Ditto for Dan Boyle.

[Johnny93g]

not much islander love here...but who can blame us, their the friggin islanders....cheering for Yashin is a no-no for hockey fans

[Draft Dodger]

the 'Ning lock up Vinny Lecavalier for 4 years by giving him a LOT of money (6.8M per).
Red Wings sign "Defense"man Andy Delmore, notable for once scoring more goals (18) than assists (16).
927-year old Glen Wesley signs with Carolina

not a lot of big name UFAs left - Joseph, Anson Carter, Don Audette, Adam Deadmarsh, Mark Messier, Mike Dunham, Felix Potvin and Mogilny being the names that jumped out at me.

[Fidatelo]

Teemu is still kickin' around.

[Draft Dodger]

TSN is reporting that Cujo is close to a deal with the Coyotes

[Draft Dodger]

oh, and Mogilny to the Devils, according to Sportsnet.

guess all I had to do was ask...

[Johnny93g]

great signing by NJ, if he plays, ALMO is a true proffesional, who plays hard, and is fun to watch.....

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

I hate to pile on here...Daryl "Turtle" Sydor and "hard-nosed defense first hockey" have absolutely NO business being in the same sentence together, unless you are trying to make sachmo giggle like a school girl. Ditto for Dan Boyle.

Aren't you the guy who ALREADY had the "Sorry, I'm blinded by my Stanley Cup rings" line thrown at you?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Aren't you the guy who ALREADY had the "Sorry, I'm blinded by my Stanley Cup rings" line thrown at you?

um, no, sorry. wasn't me.



or me

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Aren't you the guy who ALREADY had the "Sorry, I'm blinded by my Stanley Cup rings" line thrown at you?

That was SI. He's a Hawks fan. It fits.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

That was SI. He's a Hawks fan. It fits.

Why must you pick on me. It's like going after the (admittedly good looking ) handicap kid

SI

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Why must you pick on me

already answered

Originally Posted by HB

That was SI. He's a Hawks fan. It fits.

[Draft Dodger]

and Anson Carter signs with the Canucks - a good fit for him, I think. he's a guy I'd really like to see turn the corner, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Why must you pick on me. It's like going after the (admittedly good looking ) handicap kid

SI

You're "big money" now! Khabibulin! Aucoin! Lapointes! I don't know how the rest of the old Norris division will be able to keep up with a big market team like the Hawks.

[Honolulu_Blue]

You know, I'll just never get tired of reading articles like this...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=133688

Yzerman a lock to compete in Turin


Canadian Press



8/16/2005 4:45:24 PM

VANCOUVER (CP) - There will be some big names that won't make Team Canada's roster for the Turin Olympic, victims of an abundance of talent this country has on its hands these days.

But barring an injury, Steve Yzerman is a lock to compete in his third Olympics.

''There's no bubble for Stevie Y,'' said Team Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky. ''If he's not playing great, and his knee is bothering him, he'd be the first guy to tell me.''

Such was the case at the World Cup of Hockey last summer when Yzerman, named to the team, called Gretzky and said he just couldn't go. But a year of rest, thanks to the NHL lockout, has the 40-year-old Detroit Red Wing back for one more season.

With captain Mario Lemieux deciding not to come to the Olympic camp this week because of his busy schedule with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Yzerman's presence takes on an even greater role.



''In our game, every now and then we get very lucky that we get a really true superstar, great team leader, and great person - and he's that guy,'' added Gretzky, somewhat of an expert on the subject.

''He's such a classy individual and such a great example for all of us who are around him,'' added star winger Jarome Iginla, who scored the decisive goal for Canada in Salt Lake City. ''The way he treats everybody, how dedicated he is and for everything he's accomplished. To be so down to earth and such a great example for all of us to watch, the way he carries himself. It rubs off on us.''

In 2002, Yzerman was only the third player in the history of the game to win Olympic and NHL titles in the same year.

Yzerman, whose current crew cut makes him look 10 years younger, acknowledges that doing another double would be sweet. But he wants to make the Olympic team on merit.

''Here we are in the middle of August. My play over the course of the first half of the season will determine if I'm on the Olympic team or not. I don't have any false expectations that I'm on the team, I have to play well.

''But 2002 was certainly a very special year, it was the highlight of my career, it made everything worthwhile that year.''

That's because he essentially played on one leg that season. He appeared in only 52 regular-season games because of a serious knee injury but played every single playoff game - leading the team with 23 points in 23 games - and did not miss an Olympic shift in Salt Lake City despite being barely able to walk.

''I remember walking by the dressing room before the gold medal game and the trainer said to me: `If it was a Game 7 in the playoffs, I probably wouldn't let him play he has such a bad knee,''' recalls Gretzky. ''But he plays with a lot of heart, plays with a lot of unselfishness, and he's well-respected by the players not only in our dressing room but by players in the tournament. He's a special individual and we're thrilled that he's Canadian.

''I hope that things go well for him over the next six months and he's injury-free and that he's part of this team again. He takes so much pressure off the rest of our players. He's tremendous leader.''

Yzerman shrugs off the Salt Lake memories.

''I had surgery about two weeks before the Games,'' he said. ''I played two games right before the Olympics and felt really good. I talked to Wayne before the Olympics and said: `I feel really good.' Then I got into the tournament and after the second game against the Germans, my knee really swelled up, and started to get gradually worse.

''At that point, I just thought I couldn't bail out. I just did what I could do and got through it.''

He was marvellous on a line with Mario Lemieux and Paul Kariya, playing left wing and taking care of the defensive side of the game.

Yzerman, born in Cranbrook, B.C., but raised in Ottawa, waited until the summer of 2002 to get knee realignment surgery. It was such a serious procedure that he missed the first 66 games of the 2002-03 season.

The NHL lockout may be the only reason Yzerman is even here this week. The longest-tenured captain in the NHL wasn't going to retire during a labour dispute. The 21-year veteran will retire playing the game.

''If I would have played last year, I may not have been here, I don't know,'' he said.

Notes: Team Canada's 37 hopefuls were off the ice Tuesday, instead golfing with the 44 national junior team prospects whose camp ended Monday night. The NHL stars were also scheduled to have dinner with the juniors before chartering a flight to Kelowna, where the on-ice work resumes Wednesday through Friday.

[bbor]

Mogilny for 2 years/7mil.??

Lamarello is on crack.

[Booj]

I hear in the Montreal media that Selanne is closer to coming to Montreal now that Koivu resigned, and that if he does sign here, the Ryder-Theodore for Luongo trade is looking ever more likely.

I'll say it right now... if Luongo comes to Montreal, Montreal will take down Philly in the playoffs.

Montreal is quietly making some solid moves... the Dandenault and Kovalev signings didn't get much buzz because Forsberg was signed hours later... but when you take a playoff team (albeit from 2 years ago), add Kovalev for an entire season and replace Brisebois with Dandenault, they are looking very solid in a much more open Northeast division.

I also like the signing of Jonathan Aitken... he's big (6'4, 230) and a former 1st round pick who will add depth on the blueline.

Also of note, this year is the 1st year that I can remember that Montreal has had 3 players in Canada's World Junior camp... Kyle Chipchura (1st round '04), Carey Price (1st round '05) and Guillaume Latendresse (2nd round '05).

I can't wait for the season to start... 3-to-21 game ticket packages go on sale September 3rd!

[bbor]

Panthers are gonna trade Luongo?????

WTF?

Keenan at it again?

Horrible trade for the Panthers if it goes through.

[bronconick]

I'm astonished how Keenan keeps getting GM positions.

[Fidatelo]

That trade will never happen.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

That trade will never happen.

I tend to agree with this statement.

[bob]

Jason Williams has accepted his qualifying offer with the Red Wings, securing a one-year deal worth $450,000.

They need to deal with Zetterbery, Datsyuk, and Kronwall - I'll feel better when that is taken care of.

[Draft Dodger]

'tis official - ESPN said thanks but no thanks. OLN is the new home for the NHL.
in other news, happened to notice that you can order the Center Ice package on DirecTV now (even if it IS for the '04-'05 season). that's cool, because a week ago, you couldn't do it.

read an article on the Avs website (they signed Curt Leschyshen today...about 8 years too late, but still nice). anyway, the Avs are apparantly selling tickets at about the same rate that they did the offseason after the last Cup. Where is the outrage over having a year of hockey stolen?

[Cards4ever]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/column...ohn&id=2134796

The NHL is clearly a better game than the NFL, which is slow and plodding, with very little action. It is a once-a-week culture based on large consumptions of food, alcohol and gambling.

The NHL and its owners have to step up and increase the league's advertising budget. Every year, I write here that the NHL should create a 30-second commercial to run during the Super Bowl, showcasing the ideals of the game and how it compares to the NFL in terms of hitting and, gulp, scoring! An NHL network, or even better, a hockey network is a must in the U.S. to further educate U.S. hockey fans. Not enough hard-core NHL fans know Phil Kessel (he will be a freshman at Minnesota and will likely be the No. 1 overall pick in next June's NHL draft).

What would help? A hockey network, showing Minnesota high school hockey, the Beanpot in Boston and a nightly Hockey Tonight show that serves as a television companion for the hockey fan.

[Pyser]

so, any guesses as to what the devils will do to get under the cap?

oliwa jumps to mind, im pretty sure he's making over a mil, which is crazy for a goon. other than that, im drawing a blank. sean brown? rasmussen? i really wonder where these savings will come from. we were dangerously close to the cap before, and mogilny just got offered a lot more than i thought hed cost. plus, scottie stevens is out there.

wonder what lou's got up his sleeve.

in other news, teams who sat out this year hoping to land a huge player next year are really shit out of luck, huh?

[Booj]

Originally Posted by bbor

Panthers are gonna trade Luongo?????

WTF?

Keenan at it again?

Horrible trade for the Panthers if it goes through.

It's been rumoured ever since the Panthers decided to push Luongo into arbitration... he was very unhappy with it, and it would see Theodore and Ryder going to Florida. Surprisingly, these rumours have been coming out of Florida, and not Montreal--which they usually do.

Keenan was pushing for Ryder to be added.

It makes sense since all three players involved in are still unsigned.

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't remember this being brought up, but as a part of the Comcast deal (that is now final) is this little tid-bit:

The deal with Comcast goes beyond just television rights. Comcast will bring the NHL Network to cable systems in the United States, and provide on-demand game broadcasts and computer streaming of live games.

NHL Network, baby!

[Draft Dodger]

wow, I missed the streaming thing. if that's like the MLB TV thing, I am going to be a happy, happy guy

[Maple Leafs]

Wait, the NHL Network isn't available in the US already?

[Cards4ever]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Wait, the NHL Network isn't available in the US already?

No, it isn't.

[ice4277]

I never even knew there was an NHL Network.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Wait, the NHL Network isn't available in the US already?

[Chubby]

so does anyone think any RFA's will end up getting poached?

if Buffalo poaches a stud RFA it will be more than worth it to have had them sitting on their hands in regards to UFA's. Throw a ton of money at Ilya or St Louis and I'd be a happy man. Hell, even just the ATTEMPT to steal them would be worthwhile IMO.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Chubby

so does anyone think any RFA's will end up getting poached?

if Buffalo poaches a stud RFA it will be more than worth it to have had them sitting on their hands in regards to UFA's. Throw a ton of money at Ilya or St Louis and I'd be a happy man. Hell, even just the ATTEMPT to steal them would be worthwhile IMO.

doesn't seem like that's going to happen. the number of RFAs left is dwindling. Definitely a few big names out there (Kovulchuk and Zetterberg, for example) but I think if something was going to happen, it would have already gone down.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

doesn't seem like that's going to happen. the number of RFAs left is dwindling. Definitely a few big names out there (Kovulchuk and Zetterberg, for example) but I think if something was going to happen, it would have already gone down.

See, I'm guessing if you're going to see a RFA getting extra attention, it'll be now. Most of the big name UFA's are gone, the trickle of interest in the remaining one's seems to be fairly set. Now GM's are going to look at teams that are already starting to approach the cap and throw some offers out to there RFA's. Whether it's just to force the RFA's team to match and use up extra cap space or to pull a guy out for more than he might be worth because you need one or two players to fill out your roster (ala Edmonton), the next few weeks I think is when you're going to see these offers start to fly.

Personally I'm hoping that this is when Lowe pulls the one or two moves that I figure he's been waiting to pull, whether it be a trade with a team that is looking to free up a little more money to sign their RFA's, or just straight out trying to pluck a RFA.