2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[Shifty]

Gomez to Montreal for Higgins and prospects

 

[Philly Phanboy]

Well right now that have 16 million in cap space available. They could certainly make it work and if they wanna be taken seriously, they could really make a splash here.

There's talk that the Bruins really want to clear cap room to make a run at landing Hossa to unite him with Chara.

 

[SolarTiger]

Gomez to Montreal for Higgins and prospects

What a horrible deal. Gomez is the better player, but he has a absolutely HORRIBLE cap hit. I would rather take Briere than Gomez.

 

[SolarTiger]

Flames sign Jay Bouwmeester to a 5 year contract worth 6.6 million a year.

http://tsn.ca/

 

[ih8nyy]

There's talk that the Bruins really want to clear cap room to make a run at landing Hossa to unite him with Chara.

They need to clear a lot of cap space. Of course letting Kessel walk on an offer sheet is one thing and then take the picks as compensation. But there was talk of them unloading Savard. Which I think is a big mistake. Guy is in the final year of his contract and will probably have a huge year.

Flames sign Jay Bouwmeester to a 5 year contract worth 6.6 million a year.

http://tsn.ca/

Calgary is loading up alright. Great deal for them. Unfortunately, they have about 6 guys taking up most of the payroll. Not a lot to work with for roll players.

 

[TLH]

Calgary is loading up alright. Great deal for them. Unfortunately, they have about 6 guys taking up most of the payroll. Not a lot to work with for roll players.

Incredibly stoked about this.

Our offensive role players is actually where I feel confident next year. Bourque, Glencross, Moss are all ready to step up and contribute offensively (each is capable of having at least a 20 goal season). Nystrom is going to be a solid player for us. We do probably need a veteran foward for the fourth line, someone defensively responsible.

Younger d-men like Pardy and Giordano can play without so much pressure being paired with Regehr, Sarich, Phaneuf, or Bouwmeester. We're going to be a defensive powerhouse next year I'd assume.

 

[Themanofbat]

It's unfortunate that Cammalari will probably be gone...

 

[SolarTiger]

Incredibly stoked about this.

Our offensive role players is actually where I feel confident next year. Bourque, Glencross, Moss are all ready to step up and contribute offensively (each is capable of having at least a 20 goal season). Nystrom is going to be a solid player for us. We do probably need a veteran foward for the fourth line, someone defensively responsible.

Younger d-men like Pardy and Giordano can play without so much pressure being paired with Regehr, Sarich, Phaneuf, or Bouwmeester. We're going to be a defensive powerhouse next year I'd assume.

I think Sutter is going back to the 2004 flames that were built of solid D and goaltending. The flames the last few years have become more offensive but haven't had any playoff success. Phanuef and Bouwmeester is a killer D pairing and will be for many years.

What is with Calgary taking all the good edmonton players? Iginla, Phanuef, Langkow, and now Bouwmeester? You know what would make this fair, if the Oilers get Heatley.

 

[SolarTiger]

Looks like Heatley is close to being an Oiler.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283356
Penner+Cogliano+Smid.

I really wish Smid didn't have to go, he was a real gem...and unlike most Oiler fans I liked Penner, he is still a useful player IMO.

 

[Themanofbat]

Heatly says NO to the trade...lol

 

[SolarTiger]

omg....what the hell! Heatley is a f****** *****ebag! Why does no one want to come to Edmonton?

 

[TLH]

omg....what the hell! Heatley is a f****** *****ebag! Why does no one want to come to Edmonton?

Heatley is a *****e and losing respect fast. I was strangely happy for Edmonton to acquire a big name player just because it seems they can't attract free agents.

 

[Eric Draven]

I'm almost at the point where I just want to give up watching hockey. I'm sick of year after year something looks up for the Oilers, only for it to end - Pronger in 06, almost signing Hossa last year, now this Heatley debacle.


Sigh

 

[SolarTiger]

Heatley is a *****e and losing respect fast. I was strangely happy for Edmonton to acquire a big name player just because it seems they can't attract free agents.

Looks like Heatley's gonna sleep on it, he hasn't said no yet. It's been a wild roller coaster the last 2 hours. How does this whole fiasco affect Heatley's chances for the 2010 Olympic team?

I'm almost at the point where I just want to give up watching hockey. I'm sick of year after year something looks up for the Oilers, only for it to end - Pronger in 06, almost signing Hossa last year, now this Heatley debacle.


Sigh

It's very frustrating. Edmonton is seen as the worst city in the NHL, and is made out to be like Siberia. We can't sign top talent, and when our own players get good enough they ask for a trade. Even Edmonton born players don't want to play here.

 

[Themanofbat]

Truthfully, as a Flames' fan, it makes me snicker about what's happening in Edmonton (I still have those vivid bad playoff series from the 80's in my head.. .except for 1986), but I have a hard time to believe that such a young but yet storied franchise like the Oilers gets such a bad rap...

 

[ih8nyy]

Truthfully, as a Flames' fan, it makes me snicker about what's happening in Edmonton (I still have those vivid bad playoff series from the 80's in my head.. .except for 1986), but I have a hard time to believe that such a young but yet storied franchise like the Oilers gets such a bad rap...

Steve Smith is your favorite Oiler of all time isn't he?

 

[Eric Draven]

It's very frustrating. Edmonton is seen as the worst city in the NHL, and is made out to be like Siberia. We can't sign top talent, and when our own players get good enough they ask for a trade. Even Edmonton born players don't want to play here.

It's like something out there doesn't want the Oilers to succeed as a team in any way. There's always something that happens that will prevent the Oilers from ever doing anything of significance. It's becoming frustrating and I honestly don't want to put up with this anymore. The NHL may've lost a fan right here. I just can't find anything to get excited about the NHL anymore.

 

[ih8nyy]

Free Agent Signing Action. Source Boston.com

Montador to Buffalo

According to TSN, Buffalo has signed D Steve Montador to a two-year, $3.1 million contract.

ANALYSIS: Clearly, the Sabres see something in Montador and feel that with proper coaching, he can play a more risk-free game. That was the hope for the Bruins -- that with more coaching from Claude Julien and Craig Ramsay, Montador could follow Dennis Wideman's lead and play more responsibly. But the Bruins weren't prepared to give Montador $1.55 million annually.

Hossa to Chicago

Chicago has signed Marian Hossa to a 12-year, $62.4 million contract.

ANALYSIS: The Blackhawks are going the Detroit route with this signing -- long-term to lessen the annual cap hit. Looks like Chicago will have to move some pieces around to make this fit into their salary structure.

Roloson to Islanders

According to Newsday, the Islanders have signed G Dwayne Roloson to a two-year, $5 million contract.

ANALYSIS: The Islanders should have some insurance if Rick DiPietro's health is an issue. Roloson could take over the No. 1 job, or be a solid backup to DiPietro.

Booth re-ups with Florida

Florida has re-signed restricted free agent F David Booth to a six-year contract. TSN says it's for an annual $4.25 million.

ANALYSIS: If Booth can get that number, Phil Kessel can ask for even more. Booth is 24 years old and a second-round pick coming off a 31-goal season. Booth has scored 56 career goals in 193 games. The 21-year-old Kessel scored 36 goals last season, and has 66 strikes in 222 games.

Orr to Toronto

According to TSN, Toronto has signed F Colton Orr to a four-year, $4 million contract.

ANALYSIS: Somewhat pricey for the ex-Bruin, but the Leafs now boast some much-needed sandpaper to toughen up their game. Orr is one of the league's heavyweights.

Ohlund to Tampa Bay

According to TSN, Tampa Bay has signed D Mattias Ohlund to a seven year, $24.5 million contract.

ANALYSIS: Big, experienced, smooth-skating Swede to mentor big, inexperienced, smooth-skating Swede in Victor Hedman. Those Bolts don't shy away from long-term deals, do they?

 

[ih8nyy]

Sedin Twins stay put.

The Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, have agreed to remain with the Vancouver Canucks, splitting a package worth $61 million, according to a number of sources.

The twins, who were to become unrestricted free agents as of noon today, will earn an average $6.1 million apiece over the next five years.

Tuesday night, the Flames came to terms on a five-year deal with defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who will earn an average of nearly $6.7 million over the next five years. The Flames acquired Bouwmeester's rights Saturday in Montreal, site of the NHL's amateur draft, in a deal that sent Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick to Florida.

boston.com

 

[ih8nyy]

Knuble to the Caps.

ANALYSIS: The Washington Capitals said goodbye to one veteran NHLer last week when Sergei Fedorov signed to play in the Kontinental League. They replaced him Wednesday – and at a significantly cheaper salary – with former Flyers winger Mike Knuble.

Knuble, who scored 27 times for Philadelphia in 2008-09 and has netted at least 20 goals in each of the past six seasons, comes to the Capitals on a two-year, $5.6-million deal. The Toronto native, who turns 37 on Saturday and brings maturity and leadership to the Caps, likely will start the year on Washington’s second line and should be on the first power play unit.

Knuble’s addition not only makes the Capitals stronger, it also significantly hurts the right wing depth of one of Washington’s biggest conference rivals.

They over paid for that one.

Cammalleri to the Habs

ANALYSIS: At least this small player isn’t shy.

Signing Mike Cammalleri does nothing to address the Montreal Canadiens’ decade-long need for more size up front, but it does bring some skill into the mix. It’s highly unlikely Cammalleri will match the 39 goals he scored last year while playing alongside the likes of Jarome Iginla in Calgary.

But if he can find chemistry playing wing with Scott Gomez or Tomas Plekanec, he’s fully capable of hitting the 30-to-35 goal range in Montreal. At 5-foot-9, he won’t intimidate anybody, but he also doesn’t allow opponents to push him around.

Cammalleri is definitely an improvement over Alex Tanguay, a one-dimensional player who is likely on his way out as a UFA. This signing is cause for slight smiles in Montreal, but further extends a troubling and bizarre organizational commitment to slight players.

Komisarek to the Leafs.

ANALYSIS: In Brian Burke’s biggest move since becoming GM of the Maple Leafs, Toronto welcomed former Canadiens defenseman Mike Komisarek into the fold with a five-year, $22.5-million contract.

Once Jay Bouwmeester signed with Calgary, Komisarek was regarded by many to be the best defenseman available on the unrestricted free agent market. Although the West Islip, N.Y. native had a mediocre season with Montreal last year, his size (6-foot-4) and physical play (222 penalty minutes in the past two regular seasons) were appealing to the style of play favored by Burke.

The 27-year-old, along with Luke Schenn, Jeff Finger, Jonas Frogren and the newly acquired Garnet Exelby, will provide the Leafs with their most rugged defense corps in recent memory. And once Toronto mainstay Tomas Kaberle is traded for help at forward later this summer, young defensemen such as Phil Oreskovic and Jamie Sifers will add even more grit to that unit.

THN.com

 

[SolarTiger]

Oilers sign nikolai khabibulin to a 4 year contract worth 3.7 a year.

 

[ih8nyy]

Gaborik Broadway Bound.

ANALYSIS: It had to be the Rangers, didn't it? With Marian Gaborik not likely to return to Minnesota, the Slovakian sometimes-superstar is taking his act to New York, where the scrutiny is just as heavy, but the price tag even higher now.

Gaborik will be making an average of $7.5 million for five years in the deal, which means Blueshirts GM Glen Sather got rid of one monster contract (Scott Gomez), only to take on another. When Gabbo is healthy, he is one of the purest offensive players in the game (he even hung five goals on the Rangers one night not so long ago), but 'when' is a huge maybe. Chronic groin and hip problems have limited the ex-Wild sniper to just 142 games in the past three seasons.

Problem No. 2, is whether coach John Tortorella can find a top-flight center who can create chemistry with his shiny new toy. The Rangers haven't had a cogent duo since Michael Nylander and Jaromir Jagr and there has been a lot of big contracts since then. Chris Drury will naturally get the first crack with Gomez gone, but the next best option is Brandon Dubinsky; a great young talent, but not a first-liner just yet. Hope you like risk, New York fans.

Bonjour Gionta

A team source has confirmed to ESPN.com that Brian Gionta has agreed to a five-year deal with Montreal.

 

[SolarTiger]

Montreal has the midget line now.

Cammalleri(5'9)-Gomez(5'11)-Gionta(5'7)

Milan Lucic and Chara are smiling in Boston right now.

 

[Immortalfire]

Gaborik Broadway Bound.



Bonjour Gionta

Hope they've got a good medical staff. Gaborik is always getting hurt.

 

[ih8nyy]

Montreal has the midget line now.

Cammalleri(5'9)-Gomez(5'11)-Gionta(5'7)

Milan Lucic and Chara are smiling in Boston right now.

I am suprised Lucic got an invite to Team Canada's camp for the Olympic team this summer. Quite a compliment for him.