Offseason 2006

Adelpiero · Post by **Adelpiero** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:23 pm

blues sign legacy

not happy, rather have another down year, draft is deep, and they have talent coming. and would have tons o cap space.

oh well

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:27 am

If he signed for one year, you'll still have cap space for next summer. It'll be kind of awkward seeing him eight times next season in another uniform but he didn't exactly leave town with his self respect. It probably won't be as weird as it was seeing Ozzie in wearing the bluenote. Manny crumbled under the pressure in the playoffs and left town rather sheepishly. He lost the confidence of the organization and that's probably the main reason he's not back with the team. He wouldn't have cost much and he had an excellent regular season...it's his shaky postseason performance is what scared the Wings away from re-signing him. I wish him well accept for when he's playing the Wings of course.

jiminphilly · Post by **jiminphilly** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:52 am

This is a few days old but didn't see it mentioned..

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/h ... index.html

I was a big fan of Handzus but Calder has nice stats and more speed. The lack of moves on defense is still alarming.

JD · Post by JD » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:03 am

Apparently Eric Desjardins has retired, so the lack of moves on defense should be even more alarming for the resident Phillyfan.

Also, Harry Sinden has quit the Bruins. Huge news for B's fans. This could be the pebble that gets their momentum towards competitiveness... kinda like us hiring Darryl Sutter as a coach was for us!

(us meaning me and the Flames, 'cause I had a hand in that, of course)

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:05 pm

I think the most intriguing stories left in the offseason is seeing the fallout from the arbitration hearings. Buffalo already had to use their walk-away option with J.P. Dumont...he's now a UFA. With Florida, Detroit and St. Louis likely having their goalie situations settled...where does Biron end up? I don't think the Sabres want to keep a $2 million backup and Miller has yet to sign a new deal either.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:24 pm

The Lightning could have used Biron. I'm not too sold on Marc Denis. I know he played with a bad team in front of him, but they could have gotten Biron at the trading deadline last season if they wanted to.

Hobbes · Post by **Hobbes** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:11 pm

MuchoBulls wrote:I'm not too sold on Marc Denis.

Nor should you be. Marc Denis is a typical career backup goalie in the NHL: good for a handful of (meaningless) games to rest your starter, and that's about it. This is why Colorado let him walk in the first place. He can't handle the rigors of a full NHL season.

Cicatrix · Post by **Cicatrix** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:38 pm

A buddy of mine mentioned to me today that Sykora is almost a lock for coming to Edmonton. I've been busy with my son peeing in my lap and such so I've haven't seen anything. Anyone else out there better informed than me?

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:21 pm

Confirmed...
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=173939&hubname=

JD · Post by JD » Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:39 pm

I wonder if Kevin Lowe is ever going to acknowledge that NHL teams generally have 2 defensemen on the ice at all times...

Petr Sykora is a pretty good player, but that's certainly not one of the Oilers' needs! That team might never get the puck out of their zone when the opposition gets cycling.

Joey Moss · Post by **Joey Moss** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:22 am

JD wrote:I wonder if Kevin Lowe is ever going to acknowledge that NHL teams generally have 2 defensemen on the ice at all times...

Petr Sykora is a pretty good player, but that's certainly not one of the Oilers' needs! That team might never get the puck out of their zone when the opposition gets cycling.

1) 2 defensmen? C'mon, we don't need two defensemen, we're going to TRY to play 80's fire wagon hockey. Roloson and Markkannen will meet their defensemen at the Christmas party.

2) I'm not worried about the cycling in our end, it's the fact that their is no one to get the pucks through the neutral zone to our forwards. No matter how deep we are up front, they can't score if they don't get the puck.

3) Kevin Lowe is over his inner ear infection that ended his career so if need be, he can lace them up.

Seriously, I think Lowe is putting alot of faith in one or Hedja, Smid, and Gilbert cracking the line up. IF they don't, we have an abundace of forwards to trade for D.

Edmonton's D is mediocer, but it's not a bad as alot of people think. It's comparable to the pre-Pronger 2003-04 team.

Smith - Tarnquvist
Staios - Bergeron
Smid/Gilbert/Heja - Green

Edit: Sean McCormick from Sportsnet sums the signing up best here:
http://www2.sportsnet.ca/blogs/sean_mcc ... his_bucks/

Joey Moss · Post by **Joey Moss** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:32 am

Is Zetterburg or Datyzuk injured? I thought I read something about a wrist injury, but now I can't find it.

JD · Post by JD » Sat Aug 12, 2006 5:38 am

Joey Moss wrote:Edmonton's D is mediocer, but it's not a bad as alot of people think. It's comparable to the pre-Pronger 2003-04 team.

Smith - Tarnquvist
Staios - Bergeron
Smid/Gilbert/Heja - Green

Sorry, gotta disagree with you here... that is just ugly. Staios and Smith are the only ones I would have any faith in at all to clear the front of my net, and that's not even a given with Staios. I know Matt Green is young, but I thought he was a liability on each and every shift during the playoffs. Hejda and Smid have yet to see NHL ice, and Tarnstrom is flaky at best.

It might have been OK if you had a big-minute guy to keep the other guys down around 10-15 minutes each, but you don't have anything that resembles that.

Edmonton has a nice stable of forwards, but I agree with you when you're concerned about even getting the puck.

Hemsky's a pretty effective player when he's streaking through the neutral zone and Pronger is bombing the puck onto his tape from behind the goalline.

I wonder if Lowe is dangling one of those forwards in a trade. He has to be.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 10:51 am

Joey Moss wrote:Is Zetterburg or Datyzuk injured? I thought I read something about a wrist injury, but now I can't find it.

Z was training back in Sweden and he's been complaining of pain in his wrist. He's supposed had the injury for a while but he's going to get it checked out back in the States. No word on if it is anything to be concerned about. If it requires surgery, he better get that done sooner than later because the Wings can't afford to lose him for an extended period of time. This team is thin enough up front...can't afford to lose their best all-around player.

Joey Moss · Post by **Joey Moss** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 3:07 am

JD wrote:Tarnstrom is flaky at best.

True, but Edmonton signed Tarquvist they did not re-sign Tarnstrom

JD · Post by JD » Sun Aug 13, 2006 5:51 pm

Joey Moss wrote:
JD wrote:Tarnstrom is flaky at best.
True, but Edmonton signed Tarquvist they did not re-sign Tarnstrom

Ha, my bad. I did not realize that.

I have no comment on Tjarnqvist because I can't recall ever noticing him play.

But I'm going to say with full confidence that he won't be replacing Pronger's minutes either.

Another thing: who's going to QB the PP? Probably Stoll, huh?

Joey Moss · Post by **Joey Moss** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 5:59 pm

JD wrote: Another thing: who's going to QB the PP? Probably Stoll, huh?

Stoll, Bergeron, Skykora.... It could get scary with 5 forwards on the ice.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:09 pm

Greg Johnson back with the Wings...
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174194&hubname=nhl

They don't really need another center with Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lang and Draper...unless they plan on moving one or two of them onto the wing. Good cheap signing I guess but he can't possibly be the top 6 winger Holland was planning on picking up. I'm disappointed that the Wings aren't in the hunt for Dumont.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:40 pm

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174307&hubname=nhl

Owen Nolan close to signing with Phoenix

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:19 pm

"As The Malkin Turns"

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174392&hubname=

This has been a wild tale for the last couple of weeks.

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:18 pm

Screw the Russian Federation for being money hungry bitches. Good luck suing an NHL team as well.

How the mighty have fallen, Dave King from NHL coach to coaching a team in Siberia.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:52 pm

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174477&hubname=

Phil Kessel close to/expected to sign with the Bruins. I think he's the only guy from this year's high draft picks to commit to playing in the NHL for this season. Boston is going to be an intriguing team to watch after the offseason they've had. Lewy is going to have a talented team in Beantown...I expect them to return to the playoffs this season. I guess the only question mark is in goal...Thomas or Toivonen?

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 5:06 pm

Shoalzie wrote:"As The Malkin Turns"

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174392&hubname=

This has been a wild tale for the last couple of weeks.

Quality wytch work over HF Boards...some brilliant movie posters for the whole Malkin saga...

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=280457

JD · Post by JD » Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:48 pm

Shoalzie wrote:Quality wytch work over HF Boards...some brilliant movie posters for the whole Malkin saga...

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=280457

Well, except that you have to log in to actually see them.

Sorry, but I ain't doin' it!!

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:01 pm

The best of the best...

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:47 am

Execellent!

Need to get Siberia some run as well.

Good luck to Metallurg (From what I have read, it makes steel cities like Pittsburgh and Hamilton look like paradises) getting $2 mil from the Pens/NHL, take your $200,000 like every other team that has an NHL draftee sign and be happy with it.

Can't be paying the players THAT much when they are playing in 4,000 seat barns.

al? · Post by **al?** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:49 am

Shoalzie wrote:

phukking ridiculous.......

rack you shoalz

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:05 pm

No real shock in Red Wings Nation...Lidstrom is expected to named the new captain of the team. He'd become the 4th Swedish captain in the NHL...the others being Sundin, Alfredsson, and Norstrom of course. This article mentions Forsberg might be named the new captain of the Flyers so that could make the list grow to 5.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 048/SPORTS

JD · Post by JD » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:26 pm

Shoalzie wrote:He'd become the 4th Swedish captain in the NHL...the others being Sundin, Alfredsson, and Norstrom of course. This article mentions Forsberg might be named the new captain of the Flyers so that could make the list grow to 5.

Or to 6, since Markus Naslund has been the Canucks' captain for a few years as well.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:08 pm

Forgot about Naslund...my bad.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:13 pm

Recent headlines...

Malkin signs 3-year deal with Penguins
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=176492&hubname=nhl

Keenan resigns as GM in Florida, Martin takes over
http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=176329&hubname=nhl

JD · Post by JD » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:24 am

Shoalzie wrote:http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=176492&hubname=nhl

And along the same lines, the Flames and Oilers also signed their lesser-known yet just-as-Russian prospects Andrei Taratukhin and Alex Mikhnov, respectively. Interesting that these teams all chose to announce these signings on the same day. In the case of Taratukhin and Mikhnov, however, their signings have been speculated over all summer. Malkin's prospective signing wasn't talked about nearly as much as his flight from his former team.

Anyway, the Russians better hurry up and sign a transfer agreement, because it appears that without it, the NHL teams have the Russian teams over a barrel. More money + superior league + potential endorsments = no-brainer for young Russian players.

As for Taratukhin, he's expected to fight for a roster spot on the Flames, but he'll be in tough. Flames centres include Tanguay, Langkow, Lombardi, Yelle, Ritchie, and Lundmark. Taratukhin is on a two-way deal, so it's more likely he plays in Omaha. Can't see him displacing more than one or two of those vets.

Can't say much about Mikhnov, other than that if he's a flashy forward, he's pretty far down the depth chart for the Oilers too.

Training camps underway soon... this summer has been so long, I can't imagine how I managed to get through the lockout year!!

Hobbes · Post by **Hobbes** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:02 pm

Colorado re-signs Marek Svatos to a one year deal. Good signing; he was right up there with Ovechkin and Crosby for rookie totals when he got injured. His health has always been something of a question; shoulder injuries have plagued his brief career already. He's got good skills, when he's healthy, hence the one year length of the contract. I imagine if he can stay healthy this year, he may have a future with the Avalanche. Otherwise, he'll walk after yet another shoulder injury.