2010 Offseason Thread

[playmaker7]

I know, they still need a tough guy.

And thats what he will do lol

He's probably gonna be their 7th dman though IMO

 

[snipezo]

And thats what he will do lol

He's probably gonna be their 7th dman though IMO

And that's what I meant lol.

 

[playmaker7]

For today

Chris Higgins to Florida on a 1 year deal

Dany Sabourin backing up Varlamov in Washington on a 1 year deal

Pavel Kubina back in Tampa Bay, 2 years, 3.85M

Mark Eaton, PA Parenteau, and Milan Jurcina sign with the Islanders

Sheldon Souray WAIVED lol

 

[Brick.]

Avs sign Jason Bacashihua! arty:

 

[snipezo]

^Biggest signing in the history of free agency lol.

Philadelphia Flyers could be one step closer to dealing forward Simon Gagne.

According to Tim Panaccio of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 30-year old forward has agreed to waive his no trade clause. There is reportedly no deal imminent.

Gagne missed 24 games during the regular season with a sport hernia, but he returned ahead of schedule from a broken foot during the Flyers' run to the Stanley Cup finals.

Gagne is a four-time 30-goal scorer, and has one-year remaining on his contract and will make $5.25 million for the 2010-11 season.

Last season, he recorded 17 goals and 23 assists in 58 regular season games. In 19 post-season games, he notched nine goals and three assists.

 

[snipezo]

Darren Dreger

Kulemin extension done. 2 yrs. $2.35 mil per.

Pierre LeBrun

Preds get their offense: Matthew Lombardi at $10.5 over three years.

 

[snipezo]

Could the New York Islanders be ready to make the biggest splash so far in the free agent market?

According to NHL Insider Darren Dreger, there are rumblings that the club may make a lucrative, long term contract offer to forward Ilya Kovalchuk. One such source says that an offer could be in the 10-year, $100 million range.

Late on Friday, Islanders general manager Garth Snow confirmed to ESPN via a text message that the club was involved in talking to Kovalchuk.

The Islanders are currently under the salary cap floor, and a large deal for Kovalchuk would help in that effort. A signing of that nature and star power could also help owner Charles Wang to get his stalled arena project back on track.

The 27-year old Russian sniper scored 41 goals and 43 assists in 76 regular season games with the Atlanta Thrashers and New Jersey Devils last season.

The Islanders are no strangers to long term deals, having signed Rick DiPietro to a 15-year deal in 2006, and Alexei Yashin to a 10-year deal in 2001.

As long as he doesn't sign with the Kings, I'm happy.

 

[A.E]

The Islanders are currently $9M under the salary floor, so they need to spend some money. Charles Wang is thinking Kovalchuk is a prized piece that might be just enough star power to help revitalize his Lighthouse Project. I would love the move for the Isles' and I think it forces Kovalchuk into a tough decision. Kovy obviously wins more, now, with the Kings but that 10-year, $100M contract has got to be singing his name.

I'll say Kovy to the Isles by Monday.

 

[playmaker7]

I'd be damned if Kovalchuk signs with any team other than the Kings. 10 years, 100M is less than what the Thrashers were offering so why would he choose a worse team than Atlanta to sign with?

Pens sign Ryan Craig to a 1 year, 2 way contract

 

[A.E]

I'd be damned if Kovalchuk signs with any team other than the Kings. 10 years, 100M is less than what the Thrashers were offering so why would he choose a worse team than Atlanta to sign with?

Pens sign Ryan Craig to a 1 year, 2 way contract

SMH, Kovalchuk to the Kings is being over-hyped. Fans & journalists are talking about it more than the Kings and Kovalchuk are themselves. I think Kovalchuk wanted out of Atlanta so bad that money didn't matter. He's out, he's seen some of the bigger market, and the Isles can offer the money with the young-up & coming studs.

 

[Yankees2772]

Islanders after this offseason would become a playoff team easily, and are one or two defensemen away from being cup contenders.

 

[playmaker7]

Islanders after this offseason would become a playoff team easily, and are one or two defensemen away from being cup contenders.

Forgive me if I don't see them finishing any higher than 3rd in the Atlantic...

Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Jersey>Islanders no matter what they do for the rest of the off season.

They're still young and coming up. I don't see them being ready to make an impact in the division just yet

 

[playmaker7]

SMH, Kovalchuk to the Kings is being over-hyped. Fans & journalists are talking about it more than the Kings and Kovalchuk are themselves. I think Kovalchuk wanted out of Atlanta so bad that money didn't matter. He's out, he's seen some of the bigger market, and the Isles can offer the money with the young-up & coming studs.

All he wanted was a chance to win the Cup. We all knew that before he was traded and he even said so right after he was traded. He was excited to be in a position to do that with the Devils but now that they were trounced in the first round, I don't think he even considered going back there lol.

If he's true to his word, which I take with a grain of salt, I'd think he would join a contending team. But he's also looking to get paid top dollar so eh.

 

[snipezo]

Nino, kovy, and Tavares sounds nice to me.

 

[playmaker7]

Yeah but I'm sorry, Kopitar, Schenn, Brown, Kovalchuk, Moller, Handzus, Stoll, I'm not even gonna keep going you get the point I'm trying to make
From PuckDaddy on Yahoo

Biggest Winner: Sergei Gonchar(notes). The 36-year-old defenseman wanted money and he wanted years. He got both from the Ottawa Senators just 14 minutes into the Frenzy, with a three-year, $16.5 million deal. Agent J.P. Barry gambled by taking him to the market, and Gonchar got what he wanted.

Biggest Losers: High-end goalies. Seven goalies were signed on July 1 through the first seven hours of the Frenzy. One of them (Antero Niittymaki(notes)) has a cap hit of $2 million. None of them were namedEvgeni Nabokov(notes) and Marty Turco(notes), who sat and watched cheaper alternatives find jobs.

Worst Dismantling: The trade of Andrew Ladd(notes) to the Atlanta Thrashers marks the sixth player from the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks to be traded this offseason. The Florida Marlins comparisons are starting to inch toward validity.

Biggest Surprise (Activity): <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/587/;_ylt=Ap4d895Qyze13z6p8pJia_5.ppJ4" style="line-height: 1.22em; color: rgb(0, 105, 170); text-decoration: none; ">Ray Whitney(notes), one of the top free-agent wingers on the market, goes to thePhoenix Coyotes for two years and $6 million. Surprising first, for not being able to come to financial termswith the Carolina Hurricanes, a franchise in which he was "entrenched." Second, for signing with the Coyotes, giving the burgeoning franchise validity.

Biggest Surprise (Inactivity): St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins. The Blues have a ton of cap space and roster flexibility, but only said farewell to Chris Mason(notes), now the goalie for the Thrashers. The Bruins, withTim Thomas(notes) and Marc Savard(notes) rumored on the trading block for the last two weeks, stood pat as well.

Best Debut: Steve Yzerman, general manager of theTampa Bay Lightning, who traded Andrej Meszaros's(notes)salary to the Flyers and signed Dan Ellis(notes) to challenge his friend Mike Smith(notes) between the pipes. All while extending Marty St. Louis' deal with the Bolts for four years.

Worst Waiting Game: Ilya Kovalchuk(notes), who sources say is deciding between the Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Kings, with a late bid from the Los Angeles Kings. <br style="line-height: 1.22em; ">

Best Plan B: Ray Shero, Pittsburgh Penguins. Gonchar went to the Senators, Hamhuis decided he wanted to go West. Shero was looking at revamping a blue line that was already struggling to overcome the losses ofHal Gill(notes) and Rob Scuderi(notes) in the previous Frenzy, and he worked some magic.

Defenseman Paul Martin(notes), a dependable puck-mover from the Devils, inked a $25 million, five-year contact.Zbynek Michalek(notes), a defensive-defenseman that the Phoenix Coyotes desperately wanted to re-sign, signed a $20 million deal over five seasons.

The Penguins wanted to build up the blue line and, presumably, add a forward or two near the deadline when it's more cap-tenable. They committed $45 million to two players, but they're worth it; consider $9 million next season for two defenders compared to $5.5 million for Gonchar, as the Senators are paying him.

Worst Term: He'll help the Devils' blue line in a big way, for sure, but six years for Anton Volchenkov(notes) is reminiscent of other Lou Lamoriello "desperation" deals like Dainius Zubrus getting six years back in 2007.

Most Surprising Glamour Position: Checking center. We knew the defensemen would get paid; but the defensive centers? Matt Cullen(notes), a checker or a No. 2, went from Ottawa to the Minnesota Wild for $3.5 million annually over three years. Manny Malhotra(notes), who resurrected his career with the San Jose Sharkslast season, so his $600,000 salary jump to $2.5 million annually over three years with the Vancouver Canucks.

Worst Overpayment: The Rangers paid Derek Boogaard(notes) (four years, $1.65 million cap hit) more annually than the Flyers will pay Stanley Cup Finals goalie Michael Leighton(notes) (two years, $1.55 million cap hit) and nearly more than the Atlanta Thrashers will pay goalie Chris Mason ($1.85 million against cap over two years).

Feel-Good Signing: Kurtis Foster's(notes) been through hell in the last few seasons, rehabbing back from a shattered leg and losing a child. He signed a two-year, $3.6 million deal and can help the Edmonton Oilers. Plus, the Oil (for once) didn't have to overpay to get a UFA to come to town.

Best Mentor: Henrik Tallinder(notes), the former Buffalo Sabres defenseman, signed a four-year, $3.375 million per season contract with the New Jersey Devils. On the one hand, he bolsters their blue line; on the other,as GM Lou Lamoriello noted to Fire & Ice, he could be a valuable teacher to some young prospects in the system:

"In Tallinder, you've got somebody 6-4, 240, played under an outstanding coach (Lindy Ruff in Buffalo), mentored (Tyler) Myers in Buffalo this years. We've got three young Swedish players coming in (Jacob Josefson, Mattias Tedenby and Alexander Urbom(notes)). He's 31 years old. He's in his prime. He's a mature guy."

​

True story: There's an IKEA just a few exits away from The Rock.

Oddest No-Trade Clause: It may have been the NTC that the Flames gave Alex Tanguay(notes), but there's no topping the no-trade clause the Devils gave goalie Johan Hedberg(notes) for his eight-game season behind Marty Brodeur.

Best Catnip: The Anaheim Ducks signedSaku Koivu(notes) to a two-year, $5 million contract; will that be enough to attract Teemu Selanne(notes)back to the team for another season?

Happiest Person: Dan Hamhuis(notes), who watched his value skyrocket during the offseason as a free-agent defenseman and then signed a six-year, $27 million deal to play in B.C. with the Vancouver Canucks.

Angriest Person: Anyone who considers his or herself a Calgary Flames fan and watched the maligned former flop Olli Jokinen(notes) get recruited by Darryl Sutter and then return on a two-year deal ... after watching former winger Alex Tanguay return on a one-year deal. There's nostalgia, and then there are retreads. As Puck Daddy columnist and Flames fan Ryan Lambert put it ... well, just read the Tweet.

 

[snipezo]

They have a better team in la but when they offer you that much money and u got a nice young core around you, I just don't see how u can turn down an offer like that.

 

[playmaker7]

They have a better team in la but when they offer you that much money and u got a nice young core around you, I just don't see how u can turn down an offer like that.

Because LA has a better team right now and their prospect pool is top notch just like the Islanders? In April, they were ranked the #2 organization while the Islanders were ranked #20...

Are we really overlooking all that talent the Kings have waiting to joing the team?

Brayden Schenn
Oscar Moller
Alec Martinez
Thomas Hickey
Colten Teubert
Derek Forbort
Vyacheslav Voinov
Andrei Loktionov
Jonathan Bernier
Maxim Kitsyn
Jordan Weal
Tyler Toffoli

Etc. You're looking at a better team now and possibly a better team in the future. Tavares is a good young center with great potential...but if I were Kovalchuk, I'd rather play with Anze Kopitar...just sayin. They have a good young core but they just don't seem like the better situation than Los Angeles IMO. They can offer more money and thats all.

 

[snipezo]

We'll see where he signs. I really think he can help the islanders get to the playoffs right away. Without him, it's probably gonna take a few more years to compete.

 

[playmaker7]

We'll see where he signs. I really think he can help the islanders get to the playoffs right away. Without him, it's probably gonna take a few more years to compete.

Yes we will. Its his decision. I don't want him with the Islanders I'll tell you that much. I'd hate that almost as much as I hated him with the Devils. If he thinks he can win a Cup that way, more power to him. The Kings will be successful with or without him. Clearly if he's just wanting to win rather than wait, he would sign with the Kings.

Watch him go to some random ass team

 

[LeafsFan4Life]

Even if the Islanders sign Kovalchuk, they won't make the playoffs for at least a couple more years.