It's Gone! 2004-2006 NHL Offseason and Lockout Thread

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Alfredsson's not that dirty. Actually, he's probably not even in the top 50 dirtiest players.

He does, however, play the "holier than thou" card in the media so often that you can forgive people for paying more attention to his cheapshots.

sounds like a Swede on MY favorite team...

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by MrIllini

'splain me this one

Granato gets demoted for playoff failure, and they turn around and hire Quenneville?

Wurd. Exactly what I was thinking.

[Karim]

Not unexpectedly, Moscow Dynamo wants $2 million to release Ovechkin...
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...hl_ovechkin_dc

I hope it doesn't reach a point where teams pass on a guy because their afraid they won't be able to sign him...

[Karim]

Reported by the Bergen Record:

By TOM GULITTISTAFF WRITER

Scott Niedermayer has fired his agent, clearing a potential obstacle from the Devils' efforts to re-sign the reigning Norris Trophy winner to a long-term contract.

The NHL Players' Association confirmed Wednesday that Niedermayer, a restricted free agent, is now being represented by North Vancouver-based agent Kevin Epp, a longtime family friend who grew up not far from Niedermayer in Cranbrook, B.C.

According to an NHL source, Epp and Devils' general manager Lou Lamoriello are working on a deal that would pay Niedermayer, 30, an average of nearly $8 million per season over four or five years. That would place Niedermayer slightly above Martin Brodeur and Scott Stevens at the top of the team's salary structure. It is not known if Niedermayer's deal will include deferred money, as Brodeur's and Stevens' contracts do.

~~~~~
In related news, Madden is in-line to make $4.6 million this year and Friesen signed his qualifying offer for $3 million.

Was I asleep when Steinbrenner bought the Devils?

[bbor]

Who was his agent?

[Chubby]

Sabres dropped ticket prices a lot YAY!

And jacked up prices on the Toronto games to screw the Leaf fans

[Cards4ever]

The Wild have signed Brian Rolston.

[bbor]

Buffalo has a team?

[henry296]

The Penguins are considering opening a slots parlor in order to help finance a new area.

[Maple Leafs]

Joe Thorton signs with a Swiss elite team.

Um... what?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Joe Thorton signs with a Swiss elite team.

Um... what?

the first of several, I think (although not a mass exodus, because I think most teams have limits on the number of "foreign" players, a la the CFL). He does have an opt out if the NHL plays.

Really, a GREAT move for him - he's a Restricted Free Agent, so this gives him much more leverage than he normally would have had.

Bruins, meanwhile, have lost Sean O'Donnell, Mike Knuble, Brian Rolston, and Glen Murray is probably on the way out as well. What a shame.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by bbor

Buffalo has a team?

aka Ottawa's farm system.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

aka Ottawa's farm system.

They can have our rejects. Suits me fine, they'll continue to flame out in the playoffs every year

[Karim]

WHA targetting Sidney Crosby but the league sounds more and more like a joke...
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...tacodalogin=no

[Karim]

Thornton sells condo... sounds like his time in Boston is over...
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/...rts/TopStories

Iginla's contract will set the bar for everyone...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...NStory/Sports/

WHA is not going to Halifax ... and remains a joke...
http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/aj_walling.asp

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Karim

Thornton sells condo... sounds like his time in Boston is over...
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/...rts/TopStories

interesting - he was walking distance to the Fleet.

[klayman]

Originally Posted by Chubby

They can have our rejects. Suits me fine, they'll continue to flame out in the playoffs every year

Opposed to Buffalo's stellar performances

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by klayman

Opposed to Buffalo's stellar performances

How many Stanley Cup finals have the Sens gotten to recently? I thought so

[Tekneek]

And how old is the Buffalo franchise? How old is the Ottawa franchise? Nothing like fans of two recently bankrupt franchises bickering...

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

And how old is the Buffalo franchise? How old is the Ottawa franchise? Nothing like fans of two recently bankrupt franchises bickering...

We're not bankrupt, haven't been close for over a year now.

Ottawa wishes they were Buffalo, even Buffalo pays it's players

[klayman]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

And how old is the Buffalo franchise? How old is the Ottawa franchise? Nothing like fans of two recently bankrupt franchises bickering...

Whoa whoa whoaaaa. I was just making a funny. In no way whatsoever do I wish to be considered an Ottawa fan.

[klayman]

Originally Posted by Chubby

How many Stanley Cup finals have the Sens gotten to recently? I thought so

Recently, none. But at least they do have a Stanley Cup to their name

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by klayman

Recently, none. But at least they do have a Stanley Cup to their name

Unless recently means 1927 that is

[klayman]

Originally Posted by Chubby

Unless recently means 1927 that is

It doesn't, but 1927 is the number of years you'll have to wait until the Sabers win one. back at ya

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by klayman

It doesn't, but 1927 is the number of years you'll have to wait until the Sabers win one. back at ya

Nah, I don't think they will get close this year (maybe playoffs if there's a season) but in a couple of years the Sabres can be a contender. Certainly moreso than the bumbling Sens.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Chubby

Nah, I don't think they will get close this year (maybe playoffs if there's a season) but in a couple of years the Sabres can be a contender. Certainly moreso than the bumbling Sens.

Sure thing.

[Karim]

The Sabres definitely have three stud goalies. If they could ever package one for some help they'd be on their way.

I still don't Hasek is the answer but we'll see...

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Karim

The Sabres definitely have three stud goalies. If they could ever package one for some help they'd be on their way.

I still don't Hasek is the answer but we'll see...

Lalime was a decent goalie, I never thought he was the problem with the Sens. They have NO toughness, they're all pretty boys. No grit. Signing Barnaby who isn't the player he used to be won't help. Curtis is ok but I'm not sad to see him gone.

Believe me, EVERYONE (al the fans) would love to see them just trade one, make 1 the starter and 1 the backup. There's no need for 3. It looks like Noronen will be the one traded 1st IMO. I know they don't want to deal the wrong guy but they can't keep all 3 forever (since you can only protect 2 goalies or expose more forwards in the waiver draft) so deal one and improve the blueline.

[bbor]

I really like the Sens team...they have talent out the ass...but i think they need a purpose/cause to win for.

They need a Ray Bourque type to play for to win him a cup before he retires.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by bbor

I really like the Sens team...they have talent out the ass...but i think they need a purpose/cause to win for.

They need a Ray Bourque type to play for to win him a cup before he retires.

Brian Leetch?

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by bbor

I really like the Sens team...they have talent out the ass...but i think they need a purpose/cause to win for.

They need a Ray Bourque type to play for to win him a cup before he retires.

They really need a Gary Roberts type. Everyone sees it. Roberts himself would have been perfect. Brendan Shanahan would be great. Even a second-tier Steve Thomas type would have been fine. But instead they went and got Bondra. Sigh.

Any former Sabres out there who'd fill the Roberts role?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Any former Sabres out there who'd fill the Roberts role?

Rob Ray?
*snicker*

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

Rob Ray?
*snicker*

(Puts on Leafs fan hat.)

Oh please god, let them bring Ray back again.

[Draft Dodger]

in other news, I guess the Tony Twist comeback wont be in Edmonton...

take 2

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

Brian Leetch?

Leetch already has a cup.

[Karim]

I'm now convinced that the owners are hiding money - legally. I've been reading a book called "Levelling the Playing Field" written by an econ prof and goes into detail about baseball economics but the principles are applicable to any sport.

No wonder the players don't trust the owners in either sport. There are so many related-party transactions amongst these owners, then can squirrel away money from the team and declare on financial statements that they've lost money. Both Wirtz and Huzienga can, with a straight face and with legal documents, say they don't make any money through luxury boxes even though the United Center has the most boxes in the NHL and Huzienga sold 67 @ $100,000 for every Marlins home game the year after their World Series victory. This is just one example.

Meanwhile the union wants to see the full books, not just the team's but every operation owned by the owner. Not a chance but the request is fully understandable seen in this new light. So every time owners refuse to open the full books, you can certainly bet their squirreling money away into their other business to make their franchise seem unprofitable. Yet, they'll turn around and sell the team at a substantial percentage increase.

And it appears the Devils are in the fold of YankeesNets... although I would have remembered more publicity on this matter. Anyway, if they indeed are, they're now the richest tean in the NHL. The breakdown of the Yankees finances in the book is nothing short of jaw-dropping...

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Karim

I'm now convinced that the owners are hiding money - legally. I've been reading a book called "Levelling the Playing Field" written by an econ prof and goes into detail about baseball economics but the principles are applicable to any sport.

there is NO question in my mind that this happens.

[bbor]

Lecavalier replaces Yzerman on the Canadian WC team.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by bbor

Lecavalier replaces Yzerman on the Canadian WC team.

Well, it was time. I think it's the best of all worlds for both sides. You give Stevie Y the respect he deserves by putting him on the team. This looks good for both Yzerman and Team Canada. Then Yzerman gets to gracefully bow out, leaving the spot open for a younger player. This benefits team Canada. Yzerman is god. Actually you can draw parallels between Steve and the Almighty. Back in the day (see: Old Testament) there was nothing he couldn't (or woludn't) do. Nowadays (see: New Testament) he's still an aswesome force to be revered and worshipped, but just not, well, quite as active.

Am I going to hell for this?

(Note: No more posts after 2 hours and sleep and before coffee)

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Well, it was time. I think it's the best of all worlds for both sides. You give Stevie Y the respect he deserves by putting him on the team. This looks good for both Yzerman and Team Canada. Then Yzerman gets to gracefully bow out, leaving the spot open for a younger player. This benefits team Canada. Yzerman is god. Actually you can draw parallels between Steve and the Almighty. Back in the day (see: Old Testament) there was nothing he couldn't (or woludn't) do. Nowadays (see: New Testament) he's still an aswesome force to be revered and worshipped, but just not, well, quite as active.

Am I going to hell for this?

(Note: No more posts after 2 hours and sleep and before coffee)

Naw...you're not gonna go to hell for this,but for being a Red Wings fan in general will get you a trip to the firey gates of hell

Looks like Blake is gonna drop out too.They are looking at Mccabe as a possible replacement.

[sachmo71]

Radio station KTCK 1310 The Ticket is reporting that defenseman
Richard Matvichuk has signed a four-year contract with the New
Jersey Devils.

Mark Stepneski
http://www.andrewsstarspage.com



Something tells me that he's going to bounce back and have a great year.

[bbor]

Can't believe Lamarello is opening the wallet for everyone except Niedermeyer.

I'd give up 5 first rounders to sign him.

[Karim]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Yzerman is god.

No, no, no. Wayne is God.

[Karim]

Originally Posted by bbor

Can't believe Lamarello is opening the wallet for everyone except Niedermeyer.

I'd give up 5 first rounders to sign him.

It's just a matter of time. Neids fired his agent and no doubt sees the value in $40 million over 5 years.

I didn't realize that YankeesNets has disbanded and the 28% share they had owned in the Devils has been sold. It doesn't sound like the plan of a Newark arena has come to fruition.
http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/inde...7551189550.xml

[Karim]

Just what the NHL needs... another credibility problem...
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=90974

And the NHL knew about it...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...NStory/Sports/

[bbor]

ML should be happy....Fraser may take over for Van hellemond

[Karim]

If anyone cares, here are Forecaster's final grades for the 2004 draft...
http://www.forecaster.ca/demo/hockey...HLDraft-Grades

I believe it was Ken Linseman that took the NHL to court for denying the ability of an 18 year old to make a living. Since then the draft has been open to anyone 18 years old. Most people agree that it is much easier to assess talent at age 20. Does anyone know if this is something that could be collectively bargained?

[Pyser]

interesting interview with lou lamoriello.....who says the guy doesnt have personality?

ok, ok. so he doesnt. but as a devils fan, an interview like this does nothing but make me smile. (from espn):

ESPN.com: How would you assess your team's performance last season, regular season and playoffs?
Lamoriello: Going into the season we certainly felt very good. When you're coming off a Stanley Cup win you always have a bit of apprehension. The summer's shorter and the celebrations are longer, but we were extremely pleased with the players and the shape they arrived in at training camp. Their focus was there and their commitment, and we felt that way right from the beginning. And any time you get 100 points you have to feel that things went well. This team competed as well as any team that we've had here during the regular season because they overcame significant adversity to get there.


We had a chance in the last game to win the division (a 3-1 loss to Boston). In the playoffs, we came off a couple of injuries, (along with Stevens, defenseman Brian Rafalski missed a dozen games down the stretch with a broken fibula and was not 100 percent in the playoffs) and this is not to take anything away from Philadelphia. There were close games that could have gone either way, but they didn't. We could have come out of it just as easily as we didn't. In the playoffs it caught up to us a little bit.


You can never replace a Scott Stevens. What he brings to the locker room. What he brings to the ice. What he brings anywhere.


As for the team's perceived lack of scoring, Lamoriello was nonplused.


I mean no disrespect, but I leave those discussions to you people. Even when we were one of the top-scoring teams in the National Hockey League people said we didn't score enough. We scored a lot more goals than we gave up. Unless something has changed, it's all about winning. You have to score more goals than you give up. It's all about the goal differential.


The Devils were 4th in the NHL with a plus-49 goal differential.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: Which player made the most significant strides in your estimation or had the biggest impact?
Lamoriello: If I have to look back at the end of a season at one or two players that stand out we haven't played the way our system dictates us to play. But our two young defensemen -- David Hale and Paul Martin -- are highlights because they came right out of college and we gave them a Devils uniform and gave them the minutes and the opportunity and they accepted them. And they are both character and quality individuals.


Martin, a University of Minnesota product, averaged 20:07 in ice time a night and chipped in 24 points while Hale, out of the University of North Dakota, had four assists while logging 15:01 in ice time per game.


We always say we don't want to be in a rebuilding year in New Jersey. Every one of us from management to coaches have to sort of buy into the process. These players had to go a little quicker. But if you'd told me in October or September that they would have been at this level I would have been ecstatic. So there were positive things that came out of (the injury situation).




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: Which player needs to bounce back or take the biggest step forward if there is hockey this season?
Lamoriello: I try not to deal in hypotheticals. Until we have our team actually finalized all of these things are just hypotheticals. Today, for instance, we made an addition to our club, Richard Matvichuk. When you do things it changes others. We'll know more when the time comes.


(As for Matvichuk) he certainly fits into the defensive defenseman side of our pairings. He brings size and strength and more important, experience in winning. He's in my mind relatively young at 31. It won't take him long to get into our system.


I would hope he's more of a compliment (to Stevens) than anything else because Scott's very important to our team. We're prepared for all situations and circumstances.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For many years, the Devils have been considered the best franchise at evaluating talent. In spite of regularly drafting late because of their regular-season success, Lamoriello and director of scouting David Conte always seem to find the right players for their system, players who step seamlessly into the mix. This training camp the team's top prospect Zach Parise, the son of longtime NHLer J.P. Parise, will get a long look as will a handful of other forwards including Finn Tuomas Pihlman, Russian Aleksander Suglobov and perhaps late-blooming Ilkka Pikkarainen, another Finn.


ESPN.com: Which player not on your roster has the best chance to make an impact next year?
Lamoriello: In my mind there are four young forwards. Any of them, given the opportunity, could make that step. Any of those four has the ability and the size and the strength to do what's necessary and we'll make the decision. All can play in Albany, and there's always a chance we could make a move that could open a spot like we did with David Hale and Paul Martin. We always say, the players will dictate who plays. No one else.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: What is the top priority in improving the organization?
Lamoriello: Everywhere.


ESPN.com: Anything more specific?
Lamoriello: Even if I thought we had a deficiency I would not talk about it.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: What was your favorite moment from last season?
Lamoriello: I don't think there's one highlight. Certainly, it would be the play of the two young players I've spoken about (Martin and Hale) and to see Scott Niedermayer at the end of the year recognized (with the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman) for what he's been doing for years.


ESPN.com: Least favorite moment?
Lamoriello: Every game we didn't win.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN.com: What activity, destination or hobby will take you furthest away from hockey this offseason?
Lamoriello: I think all of us have different ways of getting away. Reading a book, seeing a movie, spending time with children. All of these. But one specific area, I don't have one specific area. But you have to be able to step back because if you don't I don't think you make decisions with a clear head.


ESPN.com: Any book or movie suggestions?
Lamoriello: No, not really.

[Cards4ever]

Gotta love them former Gophers! Paul Martin is someone I've watched since he was a freshmen in HS, what a treat it is to see him succeed at the highest level.

[henry296]

Cards,

What is your impression of the Peguins second rounder Alex Goligoski. Many people thought it was a reach. He has committed to Minnesota.

Thanks
Todd