NHL is back

[alanschu]

In an attempt to make up for some holes left by Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg, the Avalanche have signed Patrice Brisebois and Pierre Turgeon.

[EnderAndrew]

In an attempt to make up for some holes left by Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg, the Avalanche have signed Patrice Brisebois and Pierre Turgeon.

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I weep for the Avs season.

[alanschu]

Hehehe.

[alanschu]

WOW! I'm surprised Buffalo hasn't done anything, since according to TSN they're only at 7 million so far.

 

Granted most of their team is RFA, but wow.

[mkreku]

I don't like that Forsberg is now in a team that's one of the main opponents for Toronto. Ok, so the guy will probably play 40-50 games (if he's having a GOOD year) but still. It annoys me that he chose Philly.

 

By the way:

 

Modano IS a Star again. For 5 more years.

Scott Niedermayer is a Mighty Duck. Sigh.

 

Guess Toronto isn't interested in ANYONE this year. I bet they'll dress like.. 16 guys and become the new Penguins (of last year). Sundin is often critizised for not bringing the Cup to Toronto, but he sure as hell could use a little more help than this! Their biggest rival in the Eastern Conference (Philadelphia) has signed Peter Forsberg, Derian Hatcher, Mike Rathje and Chris Therien! Toronto got.. Jeff O'Neill (and unofficially Jason Allison). Gee, I'm so excited. Not.

 

Sometimes it's tough being a Leafs fan. Oh well, it was inevitable since Salming was my childhood idol (and graduation bartender!) and I'm a distant relative to Sundin. My girlfriend is a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. How annoying is that? During my lifetime the Leafs haven't been able to bring home even one Cup. She started rooting for Tampa bay because "they're so fast and their players are so cute" (although I admit she chose them before they were any good). Then the annoying expansion team goes and wins the entire thing!! I had to hide in a cupboard for a week after that.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Your girlfriend is hot, Mkreku, so just agree with her! It is unfortunate that teams still expect their star player to be a one man answer to a clubs problems. Last time I checked, 20 other people are still on the team. But because they make the big coin the scrutiny can be harsh.

 

As for the Leafs, who knows what they have in store. It's still early, and there is still a few good players left.

 

And the Sabres did make a move today, signing Teppo Numminen away from Dallas. Good job. I hope the Stars finish last behind Columbus in the division.

[alanschu]

There's still a good number of forwards that have shown they know how to put points on the board in the past. If a team could get a Paul Kariya/Teemu Selanne combo deal, that would help out quite a bit, even if Teemu did struggle in his last season (on an team overflowing with talent, tough to get the puck).

 

I notice Ray Whitney still hasn't been picked up, nothing official on Jason Allison, as well as Palffy and even Peter Bondra (although his best days are probably behind him).

[alanschu]

*DING* Bruins have just signed Zhamnov.

 

Aren't they running out of room for their Captain?

 

 

 

 

EDIT: Whoa, Langkow to the Flames

 

Tverdovsky to Carolina

Hawks get Lapoint and Spacek

Devils sign Malakhov, Rafalski, and McGillis

Sabres pen Numminen

And of course, Neidermeyer to Anaheim.

[mkreku]

Apparently Roenick is a LA Kings man now.

 

That guy has a big mouth, but he really is a class act. I like him.

[alanschu]

He's colourful to say the least.

 

I wonder what's going on with the likes of Palffy?

 

And what about Deadmarsh? I know he too missed last season (I felt sorry for the Kings, they were almost a WHL team last year), but is he even still playing? TSN lists him as an UFA.

 

I'm also curious if anyone is going to spend some money on Al MacInnis. Poor guy got smashed in the face in his last season and only played 3 games, but the man still has a cannon from the point.

[mkreku]

http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Hockey/20...158916-sun.html

 

They talk a little about how passive Ferguson is and the deal with Allison is mentioned. I'm really hoping Ferguson has some sort of plan in the back of his head.. but at the same time, the Leafs have never been very smart on the market. I can't see that happening this time around either. It's going to be another year of disappointment unless something drastic happens in the next few weeks. I mean, listen to this excuse:

 

"Our goals have not changed," he said.

 

"We have a top line centre, a goaltender and (experienced) defencemen. We'll be expecting more of of our players under contract (here and the Marlies farm team)."

 

Expecting more from our players under contract?! What does he think? They'll play BETTER now that they've had their collective wages lowered by 24%? It's going to be a long season. I can feel it :|

[alanschu]

As an Oilers fan that has to put up with tons of Leafs fans drivel (even here in Edmonton!), in addition to those wacky Habs fans...I can't say I'm too disappointed :D

 

 

He has little more than $10 million US to play with and seven players still to add.

 

Sucks to be him.

 

 

I wonder if that's enough to sign an Allison.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Actually the CBA has new low risk contracts for injured players. If said player missed more than 40 games the season previous, he can be signed for significantly less money with bonus clauses to equal out their salary.

 

And I haven't heard anything about Adam Deadmarsh since the end of 03/04. That guy has really had it rough. I know people are going to say ' he's rich' but he has been in pretty rough shape trying to recover from post concussion syndrome. At the tail end of the last season they showed him in the LA Kings arena, and he really didn't look too good. Apparantley ( mind you this was over a year ago) he was having a fair bit of problems. They brought him to the arena hoping some familiar sights and sounds would help. Crowds really freaked him out, nearly causing panic attacks. As a concussion victim myself, I can relate...

 

I was hoping Palffy would be going back to the Kings to play with Demitra. Now with J.R. signing I can't see that happening. Too bad, he was my leading point getter in my pool until he was injured.

[alanschu]

Perhaps we can convince Ziggy that his game will be much improved if he plays on the best ice in the league up here in Edmonton :D

[Kor Qel Droma]

i don't think that would pan out too well. Ziggy doesn't really play defense. But just picture the points that little bastard would put up. I like that idea better than your Modano to the Oilers, alanschu

[alanschu]

It also seems more plausible (ignoring the fact that Modano has signed with Dallas).

 

We don't need defense, we have Peca for that :D. Zigs would just get on the ice and do "hell yeah" and effortless get multipoint games

 

Having multi-goal leads puts less pressure on the defense

[Kor Qel Droma]

I'm just glad that hockey is distracting me from the Cubs losing streak.

 

I don't know if you picked up the Sun today Allan, but Pronger ( while one of my least favorite players) scored some points with me by saying he doesn't want to step on anybodys toes (named two players with the same last name but different spelling) in his new city.

 

He went on to say if they want anything all they have to do is ask, and he plans on focusing more on playing the game than being the leader. He also mentioned all of his injuries are healed and he's really ready to go.

 

Here's hoping all three Western Canadian teams make it to the playoffs. With Calgary bowing out in the first round, of course.

[Deraldin]

  Here's hoping all three Western Canadian teams make it to the playoffs.  With Calgary bowing out in the first round, of course.

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Not likely.

[alanschu]

I'd like to see an old school Edmonton versus Calgary Conference final :D

 

But I was thinking also that the year off probably helped Pronger get all healed up, and he always seemed like quite the professional. It was a good gesture on both the Oilers part and his part to sign him for that 5 year deal. A gesture that the Oil recognized his abilities and saw him as being useful to the team and a solid contributor, and a gesture from him that he's willing to be in it for a long haul.

 

I did hear an interesting perspective about Pronger's powerplay contributions. While he was good in St. Louis, I was forgetting that he did have Al MacInnis beside him, which would be a nightmare for any penalty kill. But even still, Pronger's addition means that there's SOMEONE to guard on the powerplay now. And I know Bergeron has quite the little slapshot and is an offensive minded defensemen, so he might make a good pairing on the powerplay. Semenov also has a howitzer (and is physically imposing to boot), but I'm not sure how offensive minded he really is. Plus both those defensemen are still youngin's (younglings? ), but maybe Pronger's experience will help out their growth.

 

I was thinking on going out for lunch, so i'll probably take a peek at that Sun article.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Sorry, but I can't see Tony Amonte contributing anything more than a really bad mullet to the Calgary equation. Besides, what makes you think that the Flames can pull off the same miracle they did last year? Darren McCarty? Can you say Theo Fleury in a bigger package? I'm not talking about goal scoring either.

 

I know I'm ripping the Flames just to rip them, but I see them going the route of Carolina, Buffalo, and a lot of other teams that made it to the finals just to become absolutely awful the next year. But with that being said, I'd prefer Calgary making it rather than Dallas or Colorado.

[alanschu]

Amonte is a natural goal scorer in my opinion.

 

And if he shares a line with Iginla, he'll be more open with all the focus Iginla will receive. I think it was a good pickup for Calgary.

 

And kudos to Roenick for waiving his no trade clause to make room for, in JR's words, "the best player in hockey today."

[Kor Qel Droma]

Amonte is a natural goal scorer in my opinion.

 

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Thats what I said when he went to Pheonix. Lookit wot happened.

[alanschu]

People can have bad seasons. There's also other considerations such as the type of system that is played and other stuff like that.

 

He is getting old and his 40 goal days are probably behind him...but don't forget that the league is supposed to be opening up the offence a bit more.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Who knows how it will turn out. I bet a pack of smokes with a guy at work that Amonte doesn't hit 20 goals this year. I lump him in with Pierre Turgeon and Brian Savage as older players who can still contribute modest numbers, but aren't the force they once were.

[alanschu]

The Bruins seem to be solid, assuming they'll sign Joe Thornton (and I think it'd be mighty unexpected if they didn't sign him).