NHL Season 08-09

[Arnwulf]

Zherdev belongs in the KHL, he's the perfect player for that league, they're willing to hand bags of money to talent right now anyway.

Looks like the Heatley to Columbus rumors are just rumors with not much truth. I would like to see us start adding now that we have Rick Nash committed here long term. I can definitely see us in the Cup finals in the next 5 years. Nash re-upping gave us a huge leg up in the league, image-wise. Heck, the local sports show has actually spent a few days talking hockey, that alone is noteworthy lol.

[Bregor]

Heck, the local sports show has actually spent a few days talking hockey, that alone is noteworthy lol.

You mean there are professional athletes in Ohio other than LeBron? :D I actually like the guys who call Indians games on STO, not sure if that's your local network but they do a good job. As for the Blue Jackets, I love Mason and they're on the right track but it's too bad the Heatley trade isn't happening. That certainly would have accelerated their time table as a major player in the West.

And for you Toronto fans out there:

Toronto captures Monster, as well as some tampering accusations - Puck Daddy

[Oxyminus]

3.5 - 4 at the most is a reasonable salary for a player like Zherdev. You never know what guy you're going to get with him from one season to the next. If he wants higher than 4 I would buy him a plane ticket to the KHL and say sayonara. His offense is a big help, but others can pick up the slack especially now that they have Gaborik. So those seven games Gaborik plays next season you won't even think of Zherdev.












Sorry Oxy. It's just too hard to pass those up

LOL it's cool.

I get ragged on for UFA signings, and disagreeing with moves my team makes... At least people are thinking up original content!

I agree, if Zherdev thinks he's getting a cent over 4mil, which I still think is a stretch; he should get 3.5-3.75 I say, the Rangers should, and probably will let him walk. The problem with the "picking up the slack" notion is Gaborik will obviously play on the 1st line, but you still need scoring depth/talent on the 2nd, and Zherdev with his 50-60 points would be perfect there. If Zherdev walks, it will be a bit of a step back in that regard. Grachev shouldn't be be playing in the NHL yet, and expected to put up 2nd line numbers. In that case, the Rangers have money to bring in someone else. But who?

If Zherdev stays, I see lineup looking like this:

Higgins/Dubinsky/Gaborik
Callahan/Drury/Zherdev
Avery/Anisimov/Korpikoski

You've already got 2 guys (Dubinsky, and Higgins) who are arguably playing higher in the lineup than they should be, but they should be able to "keep up" with Gaborik because of their styles. Same case could be made for Callahan too. This is a team that still doesn't have a lot of offensive weapons, and if Zherdev leaves it gets a lot weaker.

[Brill Weave]

The problem is that even with Zherdev, the Rangers are still weak down the middle. No offense to Dubinsky or Drury but they just don't have that number one guy. You see what happens when a high powered winger has essentially no center, by looking at Rick Nash. No offense on that one Arn. But it's true. They don't even need a great center, they just need a good one. The Rangers thought they had that in Sloth Gomez, but we all see how that ended. Higgins I think will be able to contribute well, especially with Gaborik drawing the attention away from him. The problem is now the vast majority of the gamebreaking centers are gone. Drury with Zherdev is a good line combination. Zherdev's creativity and Drury's fearlessness work well together.

Dubi isn't a number one center, not yet. There's only a few good centers left out there. There's Sundin, Brendan Morrison, Robert Lang, etc. The problem is there are all older centers nearing the end of their careers. If they were going to sign someone, I would try taking a swing at Mike Comrie. He's not great offensively, but he can still get you 20 goals a season and 50-60 points. That's the kind of guy the Rangers need.

[Arnwulf]

I'm really hoping Brassard picks up where he left off last season. He could easily be the top-line center we've been looking for. Also, don't forget that Filatov, while he plays wing now, is eventually going to be a center as well. Our problem is that we don't have a solid #1 right now, that may change during the season as Brassard gets going, but there's definitely some uncertainty there.

[Oxyminus]

The problem is that even with Zherdev, the Rangers are still weak down the middle. No offense to Dubinsky or Drury but they just don't have that number one guy. You see what happens when a high powered winger has essentially no center, by looking at Rick Nash. No offense on that one Arn. But it's true. They don't even need a great center, they just need a good one. The Rangers thought they had that in Sloth Gomez, but we all see how that ended. Higgins I think will be able to contribute well, especially with Gaborik drawing the attention away from him. The problem is now the vast majority of the gamebreaking centers are gone. Drury with Zherdev is a good line combination. Zherdev's creativity and Drury's fearlessness work well together.

Dubi isn't a number one center, not yet. There's only a few good centers left out there. There's Sundin, Brendan Morrison, Robert Lang, etc. The problem is there are all older centers nearing the end of their careers. If they were going to sign someone, I would try taking a swing at Mike Comrie. He's not great offensively, but he can still get you 20 goals a season and 50-60 points. That's the kind of guy the Rangers need.

Gomez was, in theory, close to being a #1 Center. The big knock on him while he was here was he needed good wingers to utilize his skill-set, yet he didn't click with Jagr, Shanahan, Zherdev, or basically anyone they tried him with. The only winger who Gomez really shined with was Callahan. And anyone will shine playing with Callahan just because of the effort the kid comes out with.

The Rangers have depth down the middle, just not an elite #1 guy. Dubinsky/Drury/Anisimov/Boyle looks pretty good down the middle to me. Sather said he's not against bringing in another center, but I just don't see it. Say he brings in any of the guys you mentioned; Anisimov doesn't get promoted to the big club, or Boyle plays in Hartford? So our top prospect stays in the AHL, or we traded a 3rd round pick for a guy to play in the AHL? I just don't see it.

Dubinsky isn't a true #1 center (yet) but I think it's his job to lose come camp time. He was great playing with Jagr (who said many times he thinks Dubinsky is going to be a #1 center in this league) in his rookie year, and while he regressed a bit last year, his game picked up a lot when Tortorella took over. Tortorella thinks the world of Dubinsky, and is going to push him to be "that guy" on the team. Again, he may lack the elite skill-set for the job, but I think he's the best option. He could easily put up the same sort of numbers you suggested a guy like Comrie could put up.

This is just part of the crossroad the Rangers were at last season, when I think they were the 2nd youngest team in the league, and are dealing with now. They need to see what these guys who are supposed to be the core for years to come can really do.

But you see the issue with Zherdev. Rangers can't afford to overpay for him, but they have so little overall offensive depth, it's going to hurt to let him go.

[Brill Weave]

Yup. I agree completely that losing him would hurt them. But if it means they would free up cap space to make a potential run at someone, it might be worthwhile. I was very surprised that they didn't make a run at Olli Jokinen or someone along those lines.

[Makaveli]

Pronger Extended.

It looks as though Chris Pronger may finish his career as a Philadelphia Flyer.

Pronger's agent Pat Morris said on Tuesday that his client has signed a seven-year contract extension with the team worth $35 million. The contract also includes a no-movement clause, meaning Pronger, 34, is likely to wrap up his time in the NHL as a member of the Flyers.

On June 27, Pronger was sent from the Anaheim Ducks to Philadelphia along with forward Ryan Dingle in exchange for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Luca Sbisa, two first-round draft picks and a conditional third-round pick in 2010 or 2011.

In 2008-09, Pronger had 11 goals and 37 assists for the Ducks.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283995

5mil a year isnt bad for a DMan like Pronger, prolly wont make it to 42 tho.

[Selamis]

Report: Sakic will retire after 20 NHL seasons - FOX Sports on MSN

God speed. Joe was a class act, and while I wasn't a fan of the Avs, Sakic was always hard to root against.

[Brill Weave]

Peace out Joe. You've played some magnificent hockey and have always been a class act throughout. And so closes another era for another great team. First Stevie Y, now Joe Sakic. I grew up watching these guys. Sad to see them go, and also reminds me we're all getting older. Fuck tomorrow's my birthday lol.

[Oxyminus]

Yup. I agree completely that losing him would hurt them. But if it means they would free up cap space to make a potential run at someone, it might be worthwhile. I was very surprised that they didn't make a run at Olli Jokinen or someone along those lines.

Made no sense to go after Jokinen. The Rangers weren't "a player away" last season, and he would have cost part of the core that Sather clearly isn't trading.

The two moves were about par for the course for Sather; traded two guys who weren't in the longterm plan for a guy to sure up the blueline, and swapped a 2nd rounder for another scorer they desperately needed. It's no Sather's style to make BIG moves on the dealine, he just swaps out depth for depth.

[Bregor]

Report: Sakic will retire after 20 NHL seasons - FOX Sports on MSN

God speed. Joe was a class act, and while I wasn't a fan of the Avs, Sakic was always hard to root against.

He was a Nordique first though! There wasn't a better guy around hockey than Joe Sakic, he will be missed.

Oh and happy birthday Brill :D

[Arnwulf]

I think the Flyers getting the extension signed with Pronger is good for them, 42 for a defenseman is actually about the right age to retire, hell, look at Chris Chelios haha. I think there's a very good chance Pronger plays through that entire contract, it's not like he has any nagging injury problems that would cause him to retire.

Bleh, July is a vortex of suck for me as far as sports goes, no hockey, no football....I hate this time of year.

[AzazaelFenrir]

So upset that Super Joe didn't have one more year left. It is going to be an interesting year for the Avs. I thought for sure when they moved Smitty that Super Joe was coming back for one year.

[Arnwulf]

The Avs are rebuilding, I think Joe looked at the situation and figured it was best to bow out now since next year is going to be full of growing pains for the young players, and him not filling a roster spot allows them more flexibility in the rebuilding process. I'm just glad he didn't do the whole Scott Neidermeyer thing and wait until the middle of the season. At least the Avs know what they have to work with now more that before, for a team that's trying to rebuild, that's important.

[Ratatapa]

WOOT KOIVU WITH THE DUCKS

nana na nana na hey hey hey goood bye

[Penthesilea]

Pronger Extended.

It looks as though Chris Pronger may finish his career as a Philadelphia Flyer.

Pronger's agent Pat Morris said on Tuesday that his client has signed a seven-year contract extension with the team worth $35 million. The contract also includes a no-movement clause, meaning Pronger, 34, is likely to wrap up his time in the NHL as a member of the Flyers.

On June 27, Pronger was sent from the Anaheim Ducks to Philadelphia along with forward Ryan Dingle in exchange for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Luca Sbisa, two first-round draft picks and a conditional third-round pick in 2010 or 2011.

In 2008-09, Pronger had 11 goals and 37 assists for the Ducks.

Pronger signs seven-year contract extension with Flyers

5mil a year isnt bad for a DMan like Pronger, prolly wont make it to 42 tho.

I'm excited for this extension and the Ray Emery pick up.

[Ratatapa]

until Ray Emery bad behavior fucks up the Flyers moral like he did with the sens

[Arnwulf]

The exodus from Detroit continues. Jiri Hudler reportedly has signed a contract with a KHL team.

Reports: Hudler signs contract with KHL team

[Brill Weave]

Hudler signing in the KHL is surprising. But then again he can make a fuckload more money over there and he's already won a Stanley Cup with the Wings. Koivu in Anaheim is a bit odd to me, excect now he gets to play with his boy Selanne for his last season.

I think the Avalanche are still a couple of years away from being playoff contenders again. They have a good start with guys like Wolski and Statsny. But there are still too many holes in the rest of the lineup. I don't even know who their number one goalie is. Is it Budaj or someone else now?