Boston Gets a Proven Goalie For Nothing
Written by clint on June 30th, 2007 | 0 CommentsMinnesota’s depth at the goaltending position has allowed them to send their former starter Manny Fernandez to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Petr Kalus and a fourth round pick. Kalus was a 2nd round pick in 2005 and had 4 goals and 5 points in 9 games last season with the Bs. Clearly this was a case of Minnesota clearing some cap space and in doing so they have essentially announced that Josh Harding, a surprise sophomore from last season, will spend next season backing up last year’s fantasy sleeper, and the man that almost single-handedly earned me a fantasy championship, Niklas Backstrom. Continue reading...
17 Hours and Counting
Written by clint on June 30th, 2007 | 0 CommentsWith the clock winding down on teams to make their last ditch efforts to secure their free agents and prevent the 32-team free for all that will be the next 48 hours, I’m left wondering who of the big free agents I’d go after first. Obviously it’s about grabbing the right guy for your system and the player that best fills your need. For example, Pittsburgh really doesn’t need another center with Jordan Staal, Evgeni Malkin and Crosby all commanding solid chunks of ice time. The best forward for them could be someone like Dainius Zubrus who could play the wing with Crosby and add the grit that they so desperately needed in the playoffs from anyone who’s name isn’t Gary Roberts. Though they would actually benefit more from someone like Bryan Rafalski but that’s another topic entirely. Continue reading...
Can You Afford Me Now?
Written by Bill on June 29th, 2007 | 0 CommentsWith a 29% increase in the Salary Cap from 2 years ago these NHL teams have more leg room in their finances than United Air Lines offers in their First Class Cabin. With all the housekeeping going on around the league and the teams positioning themselves financially for Sunday’s Easter Egg hunt … an added $6 Million to the salary cap puts some teams in prime position for the free agents hitting the boards. Continue reading...
Cap Increases and the Free Agents Cheer
Written by clint on June 29th, 2007 | 0 CommentsTSN is reporting that the cap will be increased by $6 million to $50.3 million for the coming season. This is a far cry from the $39 million cap that was used for the first season after the lockout and it sets a scary trend for the league long-term. However, it should also perpetuate some exciting action over the next few days for us since even the most cap-strapped teams now have some room to breathe. Continue reading...
A Great Summary of Each Team’s Current State
Written by clint on June 29th, 2007 | 0 Commentshttp://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2007-06-27-west-capsules_N.htm?csp=34 Continue reading...
Briere, Kariya and the Salary Cap
Written by clint on June 29th, 2007 | 0 CommentsSALARY CAP Continue reading...
The NHL is going to announce the salary cap for the coming year and it is expected that it will rise. Of course, how much is the real question. Will this give teams likes Buffalo an extra $4 million to work with? If so, you may see quite a few deals get completed this afternoon or tomorrow as teams scramble to retain their players before Sunday’s deadline.
Kariya going into free agency
Written by Bill on June 28th, 2007 | 0 CommentsWith Nashville sinking it seems as if the players are scurrying around like rats trying to find the life boats. Who knows what will happen, however, with Vokoun, Timonen and Hartnell already gone … Kariya is about to get snatched up quicker than a signed pardon in a maximum security prison. Continue reading...
Balsillie Denied Again
Written by clint on June 28th, 2007 | 0 CommentsThe Predators owner has informed the NHL that he’s found a different buyer for the team. According to TSN.ca, the Predators have been sold to William DelBiaggio, a businessman from California, for $50 million less than what Balsillie was offering. I see Balsillie as the Mark Cuban of the NHL and eventually he’s going to end up with a team. Frankly, I can’t wait. It’d be nice to have a somewhat erratic owner in the league who’s passion frequently boils over. Continue reading...
The Free Agent Period in the New NHL
Written by clint on June 28th, 2007 | 0 CommentsSo we’re mere days from the start of the free agent period and there are still some huge names being thrown around. Will Pitkanen end up in Edmonton via a 3-way deal with Carolina? Will the Buffalo Sabres be able to re-sign either Drury or Briere? Will Ryan Smyth end up playing for the Calgary Flames, a team that used to be his biggest rival. For me, this is the second best part of the season next to the playoffs. With the new salary cap structure and all of the young talent now in the league any team can make a huge turnaround in a single season just by making good decisions on July 1st. Speaking of turnarounds: Continue reading...
Preparing for the 2007/2008 NHL Season!
Written by Bill on June 27th, 2007 | 1 CommentIts to early to start a countdown - that would just depress us! However - Free Agency starts in 4 days … July 1!!! Are YOU ready? Continue reading...
