NHL Off Season Talk

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:54 pm

The Blues have signed Doug Weight and are trying to work out a deal for Brendan Shanahan. Jay McKee was signed yesterday. The Blues are going to have one of the best bluelines in the NHL next season.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:55 pm

And whether he's dealt in the next 48 hours or not, C. Pronger is to hold a press conference on tuesday to explain why he's demanded a trade.

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:09 am

seems like a ton oif signings going on... more than usual...

weight got way too much from ST. Louis....

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:13 am

Sudz wrote:seems like a ton oif signings going on... more than usual...

weight got way too much from ST. Louis....

This year has some impressive UFA's . Not surprising. Talk about much? How about J. Arnott in NAS and Sillinger in NY.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:27 am

Sudz wrote:seems like a ton oif signings going on... more than usual...

weight got way too much from ST. Louis....

For a player of Weight's caliber...3.5mil a year is a steal for him. Chara, Arnott, and Elias...those guys got way too much.
The Blues probably overpaid McKee but based on their season last year they were going to have to overpay someone. The Blues basically had $18mil to spend just to get to the cap floor of $28mil. They still have $6mil left to spend and should be signing two more forwards here shortly. They also have a logjam on defense and will deal Brewer or Jackman for an established offensive player.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:06 pm

Pronger is now a Duck. Lupul is the only roster player heading to Edmonton.

Tim

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:55 pm

tjung0831 wrote:Pronger is now a Duck. Lupul is the only roster player heading to Edmonton.

Tim

Lupul had a great playoff series, he'll help EDM with the departure of Samsonov. Maybe ANA should have kept their "Mighty" name because they have arguably one of the best D now. But they traded several conditional high-end draft picks and next years draft is supposed to be rich in quality. We'll see what "conditional" means next time for botg teams.

Stevie Y will also announce his retirement today, the longest serving Captain in the NHL. What a warrior he is.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:05 pm

Lousy deal for Edmonton, if true. Trading for draft picks always is a risky deal, especially if Anaheim does well. Oh, boy: So Edmonton gets one solid player and the 26th pick in the draft for the next two years for arguably the best overall player in the NHL right now?

This could be one of Lowe's major missteps, especially since he's trading Pronger within the Western Conference. He should have gotten at least Lupul and other young forward, such as Penner, Perry or Getzlaf.

But Lowe was stuck because the FA market is so stocked with defensemen. Still, Lowe better re-sign Spacek right now. But with Chara, Redden, McKee, Jovo and Blake all locked up in the last few days, the pick of the FA defensemen litter is much smaller.

Tim, you better revise your assessment of St. Louis' back line. With Pronger and Niedermayer, Anaheim has arguably the best defensive corps in the NHL. Any other teams out there with two Norris Trophy winners on the roster?

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:56 pm

All hail Stevie Y, who retired today. One of the top five centers in NHL history, no question. Right in there in the pantheon with Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier and Beliveau.

Take care,
PK

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:28 pm

Sniff..

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:41 pm

Just saw his press conference, a classy guy to say the least, Team Canada will miss you man. His most recent memorable act: Playing with one knee and then eliminating the Canucks a couple of seasons ago when that infamous Lidstrom shot bypassed a sleepy Cloutier with the series 0-2, which changed the complexity of the game and eventually the series in favour of the Wings.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:46 pm

pk500 wrote:
Tim, you better revise your assessment of St. Louis' back line. With Pronger and Niedermayer, Anaheim has arguably the best defensive corps in the NHL. Any other teams out there with two Norris Trophy winners on the roster?

Take care,
PK

Well I said the Blues will have "one" of the best Bluelines in the league. Damn...Pronger and Niedermayer...that's going to be a helluva a powerplay in Anaheim next year.
I'm still pretty happy with the Blues defense next year. They are going to be rock solid and Johnson might just make the leap and play here as an 18 year old next season. We still need a couple of goal scorers though. You can bet that either Brewer or Jackman is going to be traded for a forward.
This doesn't appear to be a good deal for Edmonton right now but there is every indication that Smid is going to be a pretty good player. Lupul is a great player and hasn't hit his prime yet. This trade could work out in Edmonton's favor but it's going to take a few years.
Paul, remember about this time last year, you thought the Oilers gave up too much for Pronger and it worked out pretty well for the Oilers. This deal is just going to require more patience.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:04 pm

If anything, the extra first-round picks will give Lowe more trade bait. Trying to find the bright side.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:17 pm

pk500 wrote:If anything, the extra first-round picks will give Lowe more trade bait. Trying to find the bright side.

Take care,
PK

What do you think the Oilers would give for Jackman, Backman, or Brewer?
Looks like the Oilers are now looking for a dman and the Blues have plenty to deal. Blues are looking for a a top 6 forward.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:25 pm

I would dangle Dvorak. A disappointment.

Possibly Torres, but Jackman is the only Blues' D man worth Torres. Raffi has a nice scoring touch and can hit like a sledgehammer. There just are some nights he doesn't show up.

Still, Torres almost joins Smyth, Horcoff, Hemsky, Stoll and Pisani as untouchable Oil forwards.

I would take a Dvorak and maybe a minor leaguer for Jackman swap.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:38 pm

pk500 wrote:I would dangle Dvorak. A disappointment.

Possibly Torres, but Jackman is the only Blues' D man worth Torres. Raffi has a nice scoring touch and can hit like a sledgehammer. There just are some nights he doesn't show up.

Still, Torres almost joins Smyth, Horcoff, Hemsky, Stoll and Pisani as untouchable Oil forwards.

I would take a Dvorak and maybe a minor leaguer for Jackman swap.

Take care,
PK

Dvorak...damn that guy just needs to retire. He was horrible in the finals.
I was thinking Torres or Stoll for Jackman. I'm sure Lowe is going to get another defensmen but Smid might be ready to play for the Oilers next year. He was supposedly in the Ducks plans for next season.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:55 pm

Stoll is untouchable. I agree with JD that he will be captain of the Oilers when Jason Smith leaves or retires. He's an excellent two-way player who only will get better.

Torres for Jackman? Hmm ... I'll have to think about that. I'd like to see one more year of development from Winchester. If he could step into that power forward role this season, then I'll make the Torres-for-Jackman deal next July.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:12 pm

People may not like his demeanor and attitude, but give B.Burkie plenty of credit for acquiring yet another top defenseman for the second season in a row. He's proven two things: If he gets the money from the owners he'll get the best player out there to help his team. Two, he'll do whatever it takes to support his club despite of what the media says, since he doesn't give a rat's a$$ of what they say.

He left VAN city because the owner had some disagreements with him, but I surely miss him, although Nonis is doing a good job so far.

J. Lupul is originally from the EDM area and apparently his grandfather is one of the many owners of the franchise.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:15 pm

Don't wory PK, according to my sim in Eastside Hockey Manager in which I still have my beloved Oil in 2011 (they shoulda fired me long ago!) Smid is almost as good as Pronger.

(hey, if it's in the game, it's in the game!)

ubrakto · Post by **ubrakto** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:57 am

laurenskye wrote:Sniff..

My sentiments exactly. I've never known Detroit hockey without #19 on the roster. It was time, to be sure, but it's hard to believe his run is over. Simply the best competitor and leader I ever saw in a Detroit uniform, regardless of the sport.
---Todd

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:51 pm

I'm not happy with Roberts trying to get back to Toronto to end off his career. The team is like a graveyard.

If however they do end up acquring him, they better restructure his contract which currently pays him $2.25M.

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:40 am

ubrakto wrote:
laurenskye wrote:Sniff..
My sentiments exactly. I've never known Detroit hockey without #19 on the roster. It was time, to be sure, but it's hard to believe his run is over. Simply the best competitor and leader I ever saw in a Detroit uniform, regardless of the sport.
---Todd

I have seen Detroit hockey before Stevie arrived and it was not pretty. They went 42 years without the cup. He (not single handedly of course) brought them out of mediocrety into perrenial cup contenders.

He played his entire carreer here, changing his game to sacrifice numbers for cups. People should realize what he means to Michigan...He is Godlike here.

ubrakto · Post by **ubrakto** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:22 pm

I agree. Outside of Detroit, I don't think he is appreciated as much as he probably ought to be. I think that tonight I'll crack open my '97, '98 and 2002 Stanley Cup DVD box and enjoy some fond memories.

By the way, the Free Press's Michael Rosenberg (who has fast become the best columnist in Detroit) wrote up a great summation of Yzerman's career and why he has risen so far above any of the other local sports superstars. Really good stuff:

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

---Todd

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:26 pm

I'll miss Stevie Y. As a Hawks fan I've seen my fair share of him throughout the years and I liken him to Brett Favre. The guy on your rival team who you absolutely hate because you wish he was on your team. Part of what made the Hawks/Redwings rivalry so great (back in the days when the Hawks were actually good) was Stevie Y. Man that guy was just a Hawk killer even when the Hawks were the better team. He's been the face of Detroit hockey for so long it's going to be weird without him.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:50 pm

More Oilers' updates, one disappointing, one expected:

Spacek gone:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Oiler ... 9-sun.html

Peca gone (read quote in story about Reasoner signing):
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Oiler ... 8-sun.html

The Oilers' defense is looking pretty shaky offensively. It's still solid defensively with J. Smith, Staios and Greene, but Bergeron is about the only offensive threat left with Pronger and Spacek gone. Tarnstrom may stay, but he showed me very little during his time in Edmonton. It wouldn't bother me one bit to see him finish his career in the Swedish Elite League.

I hope Jarret Stoll is working out like a fiend this summer. He is going to get a TON of ice time between his regular shift and playing the point on the PP. But a backline of Bergeron and Stoll on the PP will leave the Oil very vulnerable to short-handed goals.

Take care,
PK