Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2005 20:01:07 GMT -5
I dunno, hoyaboy. That's asking a lot with the cap what it is. Primeau, Roenick and Handzus ARE possibly the top three center combo on any team, and forward depth is good. But they're asking a lot of young players there, don't have THAT much depth under contract at forward (Gagne, Knuble, Kapanen, Stevenson). So on the one hand, I agree... if the chips fall into place, they could be nasty. But the problem with this off season is that the same can be said for ANY team. If you wanna see depth at forward, check out the Sabres baby! (Afinogenov, Drury, Roy, Briere, Hecht, Connolly, Dumont, Kotalik, Mair, and Vanek - who will be better than Satan, mark my words)
|
|
hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,346
|
Post by hoyaboy1 on Aug 1, 2005 21:14:32 GMT -5
Roenick will actually probably move to wing
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2005 7:54:29 GMT -5
I think you're right, but that's provided some young blood can become instant NHL centers.
Huge news - Adam Foote is on his way to COLUMBUS! Wow... Florida and Columbus make the first big splashes in the "new" NHL. This is EXACTLY the kind of thing that's needed to rejuvinate the league, if you ask me. BIG deal, too.
And Boz - word is the B's are picking up old man Mike Modano within the next couple days! It'll be interesting to see how Big Joe reacts to this - most people in the know don't have him staying past this year IF he even plays THIS year in Boston.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2005 9:25:59 GMT -5
And the hits just keep on coming! Aucoin to the 'Hawks for the second biggest deal of the off-season behind only Foote.
Hey hoyaboy... looks like Philly might land Rathje AND Hatcher. If that happens, then I'm with you 100%: Philly should be a top 5 team next year.
But they still need goaltending. How many good teams have they had in the past derailed by shoddy netminding?
|
|
hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,346
|
Post by hoyaboy1 on Aug 2, 2005 9:54:17 GMT -5
Flyers sign Hatcher, Rathje, and, for some unknown reason, Therien. Guess he'll be the 7th defenseman.
Hatcher is a little risky, but as long as it was cheap I'm very happy.
|
|
hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,346
|
Post by hoyaboy1 on Aug 2, 2005 11:06:44 GMT -5
Gah, Flyers now trade Markov, who IMO is better than Rathje, for a pick.
Dumb.
|
|
Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
|
Post by Boz on Aug 2, 2005 11:17:05 GMT -5
Well, I don't want to defend O'Connell too much, but I will say this for him. If Thornton is dead set on leaving, O'Connell will make sure the B's get the best they can for him. No one in Boston likes the GM, but in fairness he has his hands tied a lot by how much he's allowed to spend (he did really screw up with the LaPointe deal though). At least with players like Jason Allison and Kyle McLaren and others, once O'Connell knew they couldn't sign 'em, he got quality in return.
I love Thornton (not as much as Samsonov or Rolston - who is gone), but at the same time, he's got to be willing to give a little bit here too. Not the old days anymore. $5M for 5 years is not too shabby in this new system. I think the Bruins will go higher than that, but not over $6M. If he can't take that, then, as much as it sucks, he's got to go. You need more than just one star to be a contender and actually, unlike a lot of people in Boston, I think O'Connell is approaching this the right way, not making any single commitments, but trying to put together a good overall team package.
Anyway, thanks for all the updates. I won't be able to check in much today, but I'll be interested in seeing what transpires by the end of the day.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2005 12:14:50 GMT -5
Gah, Flyers now trade Markov, who IMO is better than Rathje, for a pick. Dumb. Yes, I agree, dumb. Danny is better than Rathje and Therien. The Flyers just got older, slower and more fragile on the blue line (who knows how Hatcher is going to hold up... he hasn't played significantly since 2002-2003). Most teams are focusing on quick, agile defensemen who can handle the puck real well... and Philly decided to get three guys who are almost the antithesis of that? They'd have been better off with Markov over any of these three... and going after someone like Gonchar or Niedermeyer. And now Holik to ATLANTA?! YES!! I love that Florida, Atlanta, Columbus and Nashville are getting some good, name players. Can only help to boost popularity in these markets, plus make usually boring games with these usually no-name teams a bit more exciting. Pavol Demitra flees St. Louis for LA... looks like Jason Allison is all but gone if that's the case. Bet he lands in Toronto for a discount like Jeff O'Neill gave 'em (those bastards). Boz - looks like Boston resigned Murray (good move) and got Shawn McEachern locked up for two years. McEachern is in his late 30's so I'm not sure what they want out of him, but keeping Murray was a stellar move. But even BIGGER news out of Boston is that its likely Modano and Leetch will be signed today. Wow. They are going after this thing hard - but not really getting any younger. Thornton, Gonchar and Rolston are the lynchpins here.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2005 15:19:39 GMT -5
hoyaboy - now that the salaries are up there, think they overpaid? Looks like Philly and Boston are following the same model: older vets, past their prime who can still contribute some, but will likely earn a bit more than they are actually worth. Sounds like the Yankees' pitching staff
|
|
hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,346
|
Post by hoyaboy1 on Aug 2, 2005 15:31:44 GMT -5
The length bothers me more than the money, but I don't at all understand what Clarke's plan is with the D right now.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2005 15:34:37 GMT -5
The thing that would bother ME about Hatcher, Rathje and Therien is that they aren't built for the "new" NHL. I think LEETCH works out better than those three, as he's a highly skilled offensive defenseman who can still move (as evidenced by his play at the World Championships). I think Modano will be an old guy who works out well in Boston (depending on how much they invest in him), but getting three more bruiser like defensemen might come back to haunt ol' Bobby C.
|
|
hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,346
|
Post by hoyaboy1 on Aug 2, 2005 15:51:00 GMT -5
Therein sucks. But Hatcher is still pretty good IMO, and Rathje is OK - but ONLY in combination with more mobile guys, which is what the Flyers had - Pitkanen, Desjardins (kinda), Markov, Johnsson. A balance is good. But now that we will have 3 and a half (Desjardins can only kinda move) lumbering defenseman, I am a lot less happy.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2005 8:43:59 GMT -5
Hey boz - sorry to say, but it sounds like Modano is staying in Dallas, as is Naslund in Vancouver (and your boy Murray in Boston). Other than that, every other FA is moving so far... some even getting raises (Zhitnik, Aucoin, Foote, Rathje, Scatchard).
And now Gonchar is off to Pittsburgh for $5 mill a year. Lord knows Jacobs won't pay that for anyone... not even Gretzky in his prime.
Rumor has it Satan is getting a deal for near $4 mill a year! Now THAT'S nuts... for a guy who'll score 30-40 goals and plays ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH defense? He better put in 60 for that money.
|
|
Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
|
Post by Boz on Aug 3, 2005 14:18:37 GMT -5
Hey boz - sorry to say, but it sounds like Modano is staying in Dallas, as is Naslund in Vancouver (and your boy Murray in Boston). Other than that, every other FA is moving so far... some even getting raises (Zhitnik, Aucoin, Foote, Rathje, Scatchard). And now Gonchar is off to Pittsburgh for $5 mill a year. Lord knows Jacobs won't pay that for anyone... not even Gretzky in his prime. Just FYI, Buffalo, Murray's deal in Boston is $16.6M over four years, McEachern's is $2M over 2 years. Best part about Murray re-signing? Well, set aside that he's been Boston's most effective scorer since he's been there, but now he's talking to Thornton & Samsonov, encouraging them to sign. I'm a little bummed about Modano, that would have been fun, but not shocked to see Gonchar go. I don't think I would have given him $5M for five years either. And seeing as how that's how much Boston initially has offered Thornton, there's no WAY they wer coughing up that much for him. Now, do your job, Murray. Get them to sign on the line which is dotted (to quote Alec Baldwin).
|
|
Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
|
Post by Boz on Aug 3, 2005 15:03:53 GMT -5
Aha! All is not lost. Modano has given Dallas the Heisman!
I know Boston has offered more money ($21M over 4 years), so we'll see. If it means losing JT and SS, it might not be worth it, but I think Boston has the best offer on the table for Modano as of now. That might change, though, now that he's officially back in the mix for any team.
And didn't take the B's long to replace Gonchar. How in the hell can I cheer for a Ranger, let alone a Ranger ex-captain?
Ugh! Well, as long as he performs (and that's a fair question mark in itself) I guess I can get used to it. But Leetch is a Connecticut boy too! It just keeps getting worse and worse! ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2005 15:07:41 GMT -5
B's just signed Leetch to a one-year deal.
As for Gonchar, I think he'll be nasty in this new NHL, as well as solid defensively. Guys like Hatcher are going to struggle a bit - I think - with a less physical game at first. Gonchar, on the other hand, will be awesome on the point, in the PP as well as being a quick defender who can follow quicker forwards around the ice. And if you think $5 million a year is crazy, did you see what I wrote about Satan? $4 million a year?! That's a raise! He'd better get AT LEAST 60 goals, especially considering he doesn't play any defense. He'll either end up in LA with Slovakian and good friend Pavol Demitra or with the Islanders and former Sabre Alexei Zhitnik.
And you gotta love IDIOT Glen Sather up with the Rangers. Gives journeyman Marek Malik 3 years and $7.5 million!? What an ass! As E.J. Hradek reported one GM saying, "Who's he?" Looks like the Rangers are up to their stupid ol' tricks as usual. I think there's something in the water over at The Garden... between the Rangers and Knicks running crappy franchises...
|
|
Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
|
Post by Boz on Aug 3, 2005 15:11:45 GMT -5
Oops. Looks like I was modifying the same time you were posting.
Oh well. No, nothing against Gonchar, I always like him with the Caps, but I didn't think he was worth that much. We'll see. He's still closer to his prime than Brian Leetch, but I guess Boston just has a thing for those American boys. I don't know how much they gave Leetch though, so not sure if it was a money decision or something else.
Are you really surprised that the Rangers are making a bollocks of this deal?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2005 15:40:06 GMT -5
So the Modano saga continues. First he's locked into the Bruins. Then he goes to Dallas owner Tom Hicks and works out a deal to stay in Dallas. NOW its being reported he REJECTED that deal (worth about $17 million over 5 years). So word is both Boston and Chicago are the two teams with the best offers... both 4 years, both in excess of $20 million. Talk about a payday!
If he goes to Boston, I don't know where they're going to come up with the money to keep Thornton AND Samsonov AND Rolston... if ANY of them.
|
|
Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
|
Post by Boz on Aug 3, 2005 16:04:22 GMT -5
If he goes to Boston, I don't know where they're going to come up with the money to keep Thornton AND Samsonov AND Rolston... if ANY of them. Answer: they won't. I think Rolston is definitely going to be a casualty (too bad - always an underrated player) regardless of what else happens. Thornton and Samsonov, well, who knows at this point. Then again, the way Boston is going after American free agents and American draftees, maybe they'll keep Rolston and give the other two the boot. I know you've already got many players under contract, but don't you wish the Sabres were getting into this melee a little more? Whatever the result, this is FUN!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2005 16:35:36 GMT -5
I'm fine with the Sabres as constituted. We've got a full roster under contract, some sick prospects... I would like for them to maybe shore up the D a bit, but not to spend what it takes to get a Neidermeyer, Foote, Aucoin, Gonchar, Hatcher or even Zhitnik.
I was HOPING they'd try and land Bryan Berard, but he just signed with C-Bus to play alongside Foote... for CHEAP, too. Not sure who they could be targeting now.
The thing that is Editeding me off is that they qualified Marty Biron. The guy has had every opportunity to be a star in the NHL and he just hasn't done it. The guy stinks, plain and simple. I'd rather give Mika Noronen a shot. But most importantly, I'd rather give Ryan Miller a shot. He's lit up the AHL for two years now and we're in danger of losing him if they don't give him some ice time already. Biron sucks, plain and simple. With him, we're not going anywhere. I fear he'll be even WORSE in an NHL that isn't giving goalies a whole lot of help. Put Miller in there, keep Mika to back up.
Note about Rolston I totally forgot: he signed with the Wild just before the lockout so he's already gone.
|
|