NHL Off-Season Thread

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:24 am

10spro wrote:One thing for sure tonight, the Oils are going to be one of the most active teams wheeling & dealing as they have three first round picks.

So fellas who's going to be the number one pick tonight?

Who should be? Turris. He only needs to gain weight. Kane is a midget at 5-10, 160. He'll get killed if he doesn't put on at least 25 pounds.

Remember, Anaheim won with size. Buffalo's small skill got pounded by Ottawa's bigger size. GM's don't forget that.

But Kane will go No. 1 because scouts are dazzled by his skill. Plus Turris has told NHL GM's he's going to the University of Wisconsin next season regardless.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:27 am

Hughson and Millen to replace Cole and Neale as the No. 1 team on "Hockey Night in Canada."

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/stor ... spttruth21

Hallelujah!

I'm happy for "HNIC" but I'm a bit bummed, personally. It always was a sublime pleasure to wind down an winter Saturday night by having a beer or two and watch the West Coast "HNIC" game on Center Ice with Hughie on the mike.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:55 am

With R. Luongo playing some 90% of the games, Canucks would be ready to part with their top pick last year in C. Schneider. They would be interested in moving up and try to get K. Turris. That is if P. Kane goes number one as most people think he will but I doubt also that any of the top picks is ready for any NHL action this coming season.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:42 pm

Toronto finally gets a capable goaltender in V.Toscala for a 1st, 2nd and 4th rounder. M. Bell will also be heading east in the deal.

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:30 pm

10spro wrote:Toronto finally gets a capable goaltender in V.Toscala for a 1st, 2nd and 4th rounder. M. Bell will also be heading east in the deal.

Raycroft isn't?

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:34 pm

Sorry if this is old news, but the Caps appear to be the first to unveil their new uni's

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:44 pm

GameSeven wrote:Sorry if this is old news, but the Caps appear to be the first to unveil their new uni's

has a league ever done a top to bottom uniform change like this?

These look kinda bland.

I hope the Original 6 get ones that look true to their heritage...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:59 pm

I like those Caps' unis. A lot, even.

First, I like the cleaner, more basic look. There is no better uni in hockey than the Habs' white unis, and those are pretty basic.

Second, the new Caps' logo harkens back to the team's original logo.

Take care,
PK

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:11 pm

pk500 wrote:I like those Caps' unis. A lot, even.

First, I like the cleaner, more basic look. There is no better uni in hockey than the Habs' white unis, and those are pretty basic.

Second, the new Caps' logo harkens back to the team's original logo.

Take care,
PK

agreed on the old logo.

way better than the recent eagle crap.

buffalos unis SUCKED ass too

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:30 pm

The Bruins made subtle changes to their famed spoked "B" and also added a vintage shoulder crest. I like both.

http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service ... e&id=10891

Hopefully this retro trend continues with the NHL. Some of the newer unis, such as Buffalo and Anaheim, are horrid.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:08 pm

Sudz wrote:
10spro wrote:Toronto finally gets a capable goaltender in V.Toscala for a 1st, 2nd and 4th rounder. M. Bell will also be heading east in the deal.
Raycroft isn't?

Ask Leafs fans.

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:10 pm

i like......

much

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:11 pm

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS HAVE DEALT GOALTENDER TOMAS VOKOUN TO THE FLORIDA PANTHERS FOR A FIRST ROUND PICK AND TWO SECOND ROUND PICKS.

SENATORS RE-SIGN McAMMOND.

TSN REPORTS THE OTTAWA SENATORS HAVE RE-SIGNED FORWARD DEAN McAMMOND TO A MULTI-YEAR DEAL. FINANCIAL TERMS WEREN'T DISCLOSED. McAMMOND WAS ELIGIBLE FOR UFA STATUS THIS SUMMER.

AVALANCHE RE-SIGN ARNASON.

TSN.CA REPORTS THE COLORADO AVALANCHE HAVE RE-SIGNED FORWARD TYLER ARNASON TO A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT. ARNASON WAS ELIGIBLE FOR UFA STATUS THIS SUMMER.

PENGUINS RE-SIGN ROBERTS & RECCHI.

TSN REPORTS THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS HAVE RE-SIGNED FORWARDS GARY ROBERTS AND MARK RECCHI TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACTS. ROBERTS CONTRACT IS BELIEVED WORTH $2.5 MILLION WHILST RECCHI'S IS BELIEVED INCENTIVE-LADEN TO $2 MILLION. BOTH WERE ELIGIBLE FOR UFA STATUS IN JULY.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:28 pm

Penguins got a steal in Esposito. Let's see about Cheraponov. For every Commie who comes over here and plays well, there's also a Nikolai Zherdev.

I'm satisfied with the Oil's picks. I would have preferred Alzner over Gagner with the first pick since the Oil needs D, but he went at No. 5 to Washington. The pick of Gagner, a very slick puckhandler, indicates to me that the Oil is about ready to give up on former first-round wonderboy Rob Schremp, whose sh*tty work ethic this year in Wilkes-Barre and unwillingness to work on defense reinforced the whispers about him in juniors.

I'm quite pleased with the pickup of Plante with the second pick. He's a BIG, strong defensemen who needs to work on his skating. Sounds a bit like Matt Greene with more skill. So bye-bye, Matty, very soon, or the Oil is preparing to get rid of Jason Smith in a trade and picked Plante as a future stay-at-home defenseman in the Gator mold.

I know next to nothing about the Oil's third first-round pick, Riley Nash. He is going to Cornell this fall, which is only 45 minutes from me, so maybe I'll go see this kid play!

Thomas Hickey at No. 4 overall? Hmm. Odd pick by LA.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 2:43 am

pk500 wrote: Penguins got a steal in Esposito. Let's see about Cheraponov. For every Commie who comes over here and plays well, there's also a Nikolai Zherdev. Take care, PK

Angelo has all the tools to be a great player, if only his heart & mind would follow his skills. I was surprised that the Habs missed out on him. I hear a lot of good things about the Russian, a P. Bure type of player, we'll see how he fares for the Rangers.

Who knows what the hell is going on in NAS. The firing sale continues as T. Vokoun was dealt but now the Balsillie deal is in doubt?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:11 am

One other draft observation: Many of these first-rounders have MILF's for moms. For example, Kane's mother is cute, and Turris' mom is a MILF royale with cheese.

Bettman was a f*cking Ken doll, as usual, last night. Greeted every kid with that cheesy "Welcome to the NHL" mantra as he took the steps up the stage. The guy makes my blood boil.

You're right about the Predators, James. Conducting a fire sale of your top players is not exactly a sure-fire way to attract support of the business community in Neckville. The NHL should just let Balsillie move the team to Hamilton and be done with it.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:36 am

I thought my Blues had a great draft and we've got two early selections today, 39 and 44 and several more after that. I'd be very happy if the Blues can land Brett MacLean and Bill Sweatt with their first two picks today.
By the way Paul, congrats to your Oilers for drafting a kid who's dad is the only player in NHL history to get an ass kicking from Brett Hull!

Tim

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:38 am

-That Espo kid dropping that far was crazy...like brady quinn. Glad to see the pens get him.

-This is the 2nd team that basille has been f***ed on...the pens...now nashville...no idea why they wont sell the preds to him. we don't need a team in nashville...f***..having a team in raleigh is a joke...

-Not as many deals as people anticipated... will we see more in day 2?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:27 am

tjung0831 wrote:By the way Paul, congrats to your Oilers for drafting a kid who's dad is the only player in NHL history to get an ass kicking from Brett Hull!

Tim

Gagner, right?

A few other observations. Fewer trades of circumstance than I expected, especially for a draft that lacked star power. Maybe that's why: There weren't enough players for whom teams really wanted to draft up.

TSN reported that Dave Nonis wanted to move Vancouver up to No. 2 or 3 to get backyard star Turris, but Philly and Phoenix didn't budge.

How about two Yanks going 1-2, and four Americans going in the top 14? Very few Euros taken in the first round, too -- Don Cherry must be ecstatic.

Tim, you're right about the Blues. Very good job. JD is really turning around that franchise.

Speaking of the Blues, did anyone watch the 30-minute show on Versus before the draft, a reality show that described the process of St. Louis Blues' scouting and showed their "war room" meetings and more? Very interesting. Jarmo Kekalainen is very impressive as the Blues' director of amateur scouting in the show.

As for Esposito, yeah, sometimes his effort slipped. But it's also been reported that he fell down the CSB draft order because he didn't use his linemates well and because he succumbed this season to the pressure of being No. 1 in CSB.

Well, that pressure is off. Plus he'll have to use his linemates in the NHL, because they're better than him! I still think he'll be a fine player, as he now has plenty of motivation to excel after the Draft Day snub.

I think the lack of agreement with the Russian Hockey Federation is overrated with Cherapanov's situation. Remember, Malkin walked away pretty easily, and nothing has changed with the agreement since then.

Most of what I've read and heard regarding Cherapanov is his attitude. He's lazy. Big-time talent, though.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:44 am

Nice story about Predators No. 1 pick Jonathon Blum, who has gone through much personal tragedy in the last few years:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/draft2007 ... id=2913922

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:56 am

Of all the trades and signings so far, I really like the T. Vokoun to FLO. A young team that missed the playoffs last season due to their goaltending inconsistencies. After today's draft I think the trades will start coming...

And why the league wants to stay in Nashville so badly is anybody's guess at the moment but in the near term, it just means that D.Poile will continue to empty his bag of goodies. You can bet for sure that P. Kariya won't be going back to Music-Ville after July 1st.

A weaknest from Balsillie is that maybe he's too honest of his intentions to have a team back in Canada, in Hamilton more specifically.

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:26 pm

The raleigh paper reported that CRL was going to deal erik cole to EDM..

During Saturday's second day of the draft, talk flooded the draft floor that the Canes were working on a three-way deal that would send Erik Cole to the Edmonton Oilers and bring defenseman Joni Pitkanen to Carolina from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Turns out the Canes were working on a trade, but not that one.

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford denied Cole was in play -- "wasn't, hasn't been, no," Rutherford said -- and Edmonton general manager Kevin Lowe said Cole's name had not come up, joking that if Cole was available, he'd pick up the phone.

Rutherford did openly admit he was looking for a defenseman -- and close to a deal.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 7:12 pm

I'm starting to think Kevin Lowe is on crack. The Oilers are stocked with forward prospects and very thin on defense, yet Lowe is trying to get Erik Cole?

Take care,
PK

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:57 am

The St. Louis Blues acquired the rights to centre Keith Tkachuk from the Atlanta Thrashers along with a conditional fourth round draft pick in 2008, which could become a third round choice in 2009, in exchange for a conditional first round draft choice in 2008 on Tuesday. This past February, the Blues shipped Tkachuk to Atlanta in exchange for a first round draft choice in 2007, a third round draft choice in 2007, a second round draft choice in 2008 and bondage fetishist Glen Metropolit.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:53 pm

There are twelve candidates for the HOF on Thursday. M. Messier should be a shoe-in, ditto for R. Francis and S. Stevens. Among the candidates are Al Macinnis, Igor Larionov and A. Oates.