The OFFICIAL 2008-09 NHL Offseason Thread

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Travis

Am I the only one quite shocked that he'd settle for a one year deal even if his main aim was to hook up with a Cup favorite? I'd have thought he'd want at least 3 years.

Exactly...perfect deal for Detroit but a stupid one for Hossa. Although, I think he's shown by signing this deal that he's in it to win...not to collect a paycheck because I'm sure he snubbed several teams offering more money.

I think I kind of admire him for this move.

[Honolulu_Blue]

The deal also shows some comitment on Hossa's part. He's taken a bit of risk here. How much higher is his stock going to be than it was yesterday morning?

He surely turned down a massive payday to play for the Wings. It's kind of an admirable move really...

Edit: See! Johnnyshaka totally agrees with me! Smart man.

[Dr. Sak]

The Wings also swept the Flyers in 1997...it still stings!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by bsak16

The Wings also swept the Flyers in 1997...it still stings!

Fair enough.

Here's are the new rankings:

BSAK16's 2008-2009 Rankings Of NHL Teams From Most Liked To Least:
1. Philadelphia
2. Detroit
3-29. Whatever
30. Pittsburgh

This is fair and wouldn't expect it to be any different.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by bsak16

The Wings also swept the Flyers in 1997...it still stings!

In the Flyers defense they had Eric Lindros AND Bobby Clarke.....

[RomaGoth]

Dola

Looks like Hossa will get his 300th career goal with Detroit as well:

A first-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators in 1997, Hossa has 299 career goals and 349 assists in 701 career games.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

The deal also shows some comitment on Hossa's part. He's taken a bit of risk here. How much higher is his stock going to be than it was yesterday morning?

He surely turned down a massive payday to play for the Wings. It's kind of an admirable move really...

Edit: See! Johnnyshaka totally agrees with me! Smart man.

Put me in this camp. You always hear "when they say it's not about the money, it's always about the money" but Hossa just slammed that door shut. I'll be really rooting for him to be successful and injury-free so he cashes in next year, as you don't want to see someone do an admirable thing like this and have it come back to bite someone in the ass.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

In the Flyers defense they had Eric Lindros AND Bobby Clarke.....

I still don't know which was more of a cancer.

[bob]

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, ownership forgets the NHL free agency period is going on, no doubt due to the frenzy surrounding the Atlanta Dream.

I could be wrong, but I think I read that the Thrashers are $12 million under the cap floor right now. Not sure what the f... they are doing.

My buddy is convinced ownership is trying to pull a Major League style wrecking of the franchise so they can move them.

[RomaGoth]

Malkin signs 5-year deal with Pittsburgh. Nice for Malkin, great move for Pittsburgh keeping their core youth together.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by bob

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, ownership forgets the NHL free agency period is going on, no doubt due to the frenzy surrounding the Atlanta Dream.

I could be wrong, but I think I read that the Thrashers are $12 million under the cap floor right now. Not sure what the f... they are doing.

My buddy is convinced ownership is trying to pull a Major League style wrecking of the franchise so they can move them.

Whatever happened to Patrik Stefan.....??

[TazFTW]

Stars sign Sean Avery for 4 years, $15.5 million. I didn't think teams would offer that much for him.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by TazFTW

Stars sign Sean Avery for 4 years, $15.5 million. I didn't think teams would offer that much for him.

Another bad contract waiting to happen.

[Logan]

He got a limited no-movement clause too. Too much money, too many years for a guy who can't stay healthy and has no interest in playing hockey.

[RomaGoth]

Sean Avery = Farmer Wants A Wife?

[Maple Leafs]

Sens sign Jarko Ruutu.

I didn't even know he was a UFA. Some team couldn't have signed Ruutu, Avery and Tucker to play on a line together?

[Arctic Blast]

Not a bad point, Leafs...and I was also unaware Ruuttu was even a FA!

One thought about Hossa...with that Russian Superleague throwing massive offers at Russian players, could it be possible that Marian is signing a short term deal now in hopes of getting one of those offers and returning home in a year or two?

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Sens sign Jarko Ruutu.

I didn't even know he was a UFA. Some team couldn't have signed Ruutu, Avery and Tucker to play on a line together?

Ruutu wanted 3 years...the Pens only wanted to give him 2.

[Simms]

Atlanta finally signs somebody ... Ron Hainsey goes for 5 years, $22.5 mil.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I didn't even know he was a UFA. Some team couldn't have signed Ruutu, Avery and Tucker to play on a line together?

Jesus, it would have even been the RAT line!

How did we all miss this?

[Schmidty]

Just woke up, and all I can say is WOW, YESS!!!!

Ken Holland is the greatest GM in sports.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Simms

Atlanta finally signs somebody ... Ron Hainsey goes for 5 years, $22.5 mil.

That's a lot of money for Ron Hainsey, but I guess the Thrashers have to spend it on someone. I also don't think he's half bad. Not $4M good, but decent enough. Though $4 is probably a little more than twice his value.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Jesus, it would have even been the RAT line!

How did we all miss this?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Jesus, it would have even been the RAT line!

How did we all miss this?

That would have been awesome.

[Honolulu_Blue]

This assessment of the Lightning's moves and a shout out to "Bruce Salamander" made me laugh:

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

So let’s get this straight. The Lightning finished last overall this season, largely because they went most of the season with a defense corps and goaltending that would have had trouble competing at the AHL level.

Then they go out and address their needs by drafting Steven Stamkos first overall, trading for a soft-but-productive Vaclav Prospal and giving him a four-year deal, signing forwards Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts, chasing Brian Rolston, and now signing Vrbata for three years.

All the while there are rumblings that, in order to meet their budget, they may have to trade Dan Boyle, one of the few defensemen they have who’s capable of playing at the NHL level.

Sure makes a guy wonder. Not to worry, however. Barry Melrose, who hasn’t coached an NHL game in almost 5,000 days and wasn’t a terribly strong technical coach in the first place, will whip this defense into shape.
Of course, what else were they to do when they missed out on getting Bryce Salvador? Clinging to the notion that you can never have too many fifth defensemen, the Devils managed to keep Salvador in the fold with a four-year deal worth $2.9 million per season.

It’s one of those deals that you look at and upon first blush, you say, “Whaaaaaa?!!!!”

Then you look at the deal a little more closely, contemplate what it all means and then you say, “Whaaaaaaa?!!!”

[Honolulu_Blue]

A good read on the Hossa signing:

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...rtsHockey/home

Hossa gambles on a different type of greed

ERIC DUHATSCHEK
Globe and Mail Update
July 2, 2008 at 3:48 PM EDT

A day after three dozen or so of his peers went chasing after the most dollars they could possibly grab, Marian Hossa left tens of millions on the table Tuesday to sign a modest one-year, $7.4 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

Hossa was being greedy all right — but not in the conventional sense of the term. At the age of 29 and 10 years into his NHL career, Hossa was greedy for a Stanley Cup — and figured his best chance to win one was to go to the defending champions. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em — and Hossa had a front-row seat for the Red Wings' celebration. That happened on a steamy night in Pittsburgh in early June. Hossa was playing for the opposition, the Penguins, and they pushed the Red Wings to six games, before finally losing. Hossa actually had one last gasp chance to push the game into overtime, but just missed as time ran off the clock.

Hossa was duly impressed with what he saw — and the feeling on the Red Wings' side was mutual. Hossa finished the playoffs third in playoff scoring with 26 points in 20 games, one behind the co-leaders, Sidney Crosby and Henrik Zetterberg, and he was the most productive Penguins forward in the final.

Pittsburgh offered a reasonable chance of winning again — he gave that option some consideration. Other teams, notably the Edmonton Oilers, were prepared to offer significantly higher dollars and term, provided he was willing to sign on the dotted line for the long term.
But while Edmonton's future looks bright, the Red Wings looked like the best option to win in the present.

Hossa was the second player in as many days to come to terms with Detroit for less money that he could have gotten elsewhere. The Red Wings also re-signed defenceman Brad Stuart to a four-year, $15 million contract. Stuart's deal will average $3.75 million per season, or the same annual compensation as Mike Commodore received from the Columbus Blue Jackets on a five-year deal. Stuart or Commodore? It isn't even close in terms of their respective ability levels. One could make a case that Stuart, at this stage of his career, is a more productive all-around player than Wade Redden, who got $39 million over six years from the New York Rangers.

But that, in a nutshell, is the dilemma facing all the teams that want to unseat Detroit — good players gravitate towards winning organizations, especially when they're far-enough along their career paths that a million or more here or there isn't going to demonstrably affect their already healthy, head quality of life.

The risk for Hossa, who has been a remarkably durable player over the years, is that his good health continues. Hossa had major knee surgery in his final year of junior, but has been a picture of health ever since — missing just 22 games in eight years, 10 of them last year, split between the Penguins and the Atlanta Thrashers.

If Hossa blows out his knee again, then the decision to leave all that guaranteed money on the table may not seem like such a good idea. But for Hossa, the possible reward — a Stanley Cup — was worth it in the end.

It has been a decade since any NHL team won back-to-back championships. The last to do so was Detroit in 1997 and 1998. Accordingly, the Red Wings understand better than most the pitfalls that await a team the year after a Stanley Cup victory — the short summer, the need for motivation, the focus that every opponent has for the defending champions.

It is one reason why Holland, with no discernible holes in his team, wanted to make a couple of changes anyway — to ensure that the hunger is present again, when the team opens training camp in September. Some of that will come from youngsters, who didn't play much last season, but figure to have greater roles next year. Some will come from Hossa, who demonstrated how much he wanted to be part of their mix.

The Hossa camp understood Detroit's payroll complications. There were no salary-cap issues for the coming season. However, two years from now, or the 2009-10 season, both Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, two mainstays of their Stanley Cup run, will be unrestricted free agents. The Red Wings goal is to get one and maybe both under contract for that year, as soon as possible.

It could mean Hossa's stay in the organization will be just one year. Or alternatively, if Hossa proves to be a good fit, they may juggle salary elsewhere in their payroll to accommodate a possible return.

"Success is about sacrifice — sacrificing ice time, sacrificing personal statistics, sacrificing some money," said Holland. "Success doesn't come easily. Marian, obviously, wants to come here because he thinks we give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. He's showing incredible sacrifice — and it goes to his determination and character and how important winning is to him, and playing with other good players.

"When you see everything that happened in our league, with the term and the security and then you've got a premier power forward like Marian making this marriage happen by agreeing to a one-year contract."

Holland said it back in May — that players come to Detroit for the hockey; they don't have a lot else to sell.

For some — often for the good ones - the hockey turns out to be enough

[Arctic Blast]

Wow. Culmbus just sent Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche to the Rangers for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman. The thinking is that the Rangers are clearing room to re-up Jagr, but who's left on their blueline???

[TazFTW]

Sounds like the Rangers have gotten Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche from Columbus for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman.

http://blog.dispatch.com/cbj/2008/07...raded_to.shtml

I'll miss Tyutin but Zherdev is a great pickup.

[Simms]

Orpik re-signs with the Pens per TSN ... 6 years, $22.5 million

[Honolulu_Blue]

A good move by the Penguins. Oprik is very good (even though he did fail to tie up Val Filppula on that 2nd goal in Game 6 of the Finals. )

So now Brooks Oprik is making as much money as Brad Stuart, Jeff Finger, and Mike Commodore, $3.75, all of whom are making LESS than the likes of Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit.

This whole situation is baffling to me. Though shaking it all out, Pittsburgh and Detroit got good deals.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Logan

The only way the Rangers will be able to get a deal done is if they can turn a couple guys like Tyutin and Sanguinetti into two top 6 forwards, which I don't think is possible unless more assets go than we can afford to lose. Just too many holes among the top 6 to spend so much on Hossa.

Well, we got a Top 6 guy for Tyutin. Can't complain. Backman would've been waived anyway.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Arctic Blast

Wow. Culmbus just sent Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche to the Rangers for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman. The thinking is that the Rangers are clearing room to re-up Jagr, but who's left on their blueline???

As I said above, Backman would've been waived, and we had five Top 4 d-men (Redden, Rozy, Staal, Tyutin, Girardi). The last pairing will either come internally or one of these guys we've picked up recently could be wheeled for another guy.

[TazFTW]

Originally Posted by Arctic Blast

Wow. Culmbus just sent Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche to the Rangers for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman. The thinking is that the Rangers are clearing room to re-up Jagr, but who's left on their blueline???

Redden, Rozsival, Staal, and Girardi. I would guess they think Sanguinetti is ready to be called up. Not sure who else? Pock? They could always sign someone as the trade gave the Rangers more cap room.

[Logan]

Best guess is Sangs has a chance to make the club, but they don't want to put pressure on him this year so they're billing him as a year away.

[MikeVic]

Where's Tom Poti.

[RomaGoth]

The problem with the Rangers is that they show incredible instability. Every year they are trading/signing/releasing players at a ridiculous rate. Look at the Red Wings. They have many of the same players from their 2002 Stanley Cup team, and even a few from their 1997-1998 Stanley Cup teams (i.e. Osgood, Draper, Maltby, Lidstrom).

When will teams like the Rangers take a look at how managing/running an NHL franchise is supposed to be done?

[MikeVic]

Speaking of Tom Poti, what happened to Mike York? I'm looking at his stats and he seemed alright for awhile there, and then just fell off last year?

[Schmidty]

This whole start of free agency is making me want to pick up the last version of ESHM. I had the one before that (2005?), and liked it, but was wondering if the final version of 2007 was any better, and still worth buying.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

This whole start of free agency is making me want to pick up the last version of ESHM. I had the one before that (2005?), and liked it, but was wondering if the final version of 2007 was any better, and still worth buying.

I started playing it when the playoffs started and have been having a blast.

One caveat: You need to download the editor and fix the salary cap (I bumped it from $44M to $50M) and then adjust every team's budget accordingly. It's really easy.

[Draft Dodger]

there's a quote going around from Fletcher saying that Joel Quenneville told him that he always used Finger against the top forwards (Thornton, Iginla, the Sedins).

I'm not sure who's blowing smoke here, but that's not at all true.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

there's a quote going around from Fletcher saying that Joel Quenneville told him that he always used Finger against the top forwards (Thornton, Iginla, the Sedins).

I'm not sure who's blowing smoke here, but that's not at all true.

He also said that Quenneville said Finger was one of the five best defencemen in the conference.

I guess the other four must have been double-shifting for the Avs in the playoffs, since Finger was in the press box.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

there's a quote going around from Fletcher saying that Joel Quenneville told him that he always used Finger against the top forwards (Thornton, Iginla, the Sedins).

I'm not sure who's blowing smoke here, but that's not at all true.

I believe he meant that Quenneville always gave the finger to opposing forwards......

[Suburban Rhythm]

Finally getting to check in after a shitty day at work.

Thank God Orpik was kept. As much for the player as for the PR nightmare it would have been losing him and Hossa (more like Hoser, eh?) on the same day.

Hossa...just wow. I knew Detroit had said to be interested, but I don't think anyone expected Hossa to settle for a 1 year deal. The $ wasn't too different than Pittsburgh initial offer (reportedly $52M/7 years), but you can not blame him for feeling his best chance to win was in Detroit.

Orpik makes a deep blue line. While they probably will not need to dump a guy now, not paying Hossa, how do you handle being 8 deep with NHL D.

Oprik - Gonchar
Scuderi - Whitney
Letang - Gill

plus Eaton and Sydor

I think they'd love to dump Sydor for anything at this point and save the $2.5M

As far as filling out the forwards--

Jagr, Naslund and Huselius are the big 3 wings still available. As is Sundin, but doubtful he'd shift from center.

Then the 2nd tier has Satan & Demitra...and then the others, like Fedetenko.

Making the prediction now...Jagr signs 2 years, $10M. Around Thanksgiving is when the Lemieux resumes skating rumors surface, and after New Years, you see a 66 - 87 - 68 top line in Pittsburgh. Remember where you read it first.

One thing the Pens do need is a middleweight, after losing Ruutu. Not that he was a premier fighter, but I don't expect Godard to dress for more than 30 games. They lost Malone and Roberts, guys who could at least keep the opposition somewhat honest. At this point, the two guys on the team who are semi-willing to drop the gloves and will play a regular shift are Max Talbot and Tyler Kennedy, both of whom are uner 6' and under 200 lbs.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Dola

site with sortable FA information out to 2012

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/

Cap Central link

[Suburban Rhythm]

Trola

Doug Weight to the Isles 1 year $1.75M

[Suburban Rhythm]

Quadrola ( is this a record or something!?)

Avs re-sign Wolski 2 years/ $5.6M

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Trola

Doug Weight to the Isles 1 year $1.75M

He still plays?

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

He still plays?

Not really...but wouldn't you take $1.75M if a former backup goalie turned GM offered it to you?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Trola

Doug Weight to the Isles 1 year $1.75M

it's been 30 minutes. has he been traded back to St Louis yet?

[Honolulu_Blue]

I heard an interview with Ken Holland on the ride home today.

Some interesting info. Holland had spoke with the Hossa camp yesterday about a possible deal. Then the Pittsburgh and Edmonton offers came in and Holland figured he was out since the Wings couldn't match that much money over that much time.

Apparently Winter, Hossa's agent, along with Hossa called Holland around 8:00 this morning and said they were interested in a deal. Hossa wanted to know about ice time and how he'd fit in with the team, so Holland had him call Babcock.

Hossa gets off the phone with Babcock and calls Winter and Holland and said the conversation went great. They started talking money again and Holland told Hossa that when Lidstrom signed his new deal last year (at $7.5M a year), Holland had promised him that he'd be the highest paid Wing.

Holland offered to call Lidstrom and get his "ok" about paying Hossa more. Hossa said "Don't bother. If you pay me $7.45 for one year, I'm a Wing."

And it was done.