Trade 'Em or Sign 'Em Rumours

[Argyle]

Any time Yoda! Any time!

Even though he is a little bit over the hill, ( no offence to the old folks ) I kinda wish that the Canucks would have made a run at Igor. It would have been nice to see him finish up in Vancouver. He is going to live here after he retires anyway. He could still make some sort of contribution to the club. He is a quality idividual,and that is hard to find in this day and age with sports personalities.

 

[bertrum]

Yoda...

I love you man!

 

[gong show]

Re: Yoda...

Originally posted by bertrum
I love you man!

Not that there is anything wrong with that......

 

[downtown]

Poor Yoda

Originally posted by Yoda
I think I am the only one. I guess soccer is the topic of discussion right now.

Thanks for posting Argyle, at least it makes me feel better that someone actually read my post.

I have read these as well, but I have usually digested it previously along with my morning egg mcmuffin. Plus I don't really like the title of the thread - it is sort of like your golf game - unimaginative!

Also, all comments on Leafs, and especially the retard fcuker Gilmour, should be kept within the proper thread - I think I'll dig it out.

What about Gino retiring ? Personally I think he has timed it to go out with Pavel so they can travel the globe together boozing, and dabbling in cocaine and hookers.......

 

[Yoda]

Downtown

What would you prefer the thread be called?

Rumour Mill?
League News?
Player Moves?

It was intended as a thread for just before last years trade deadline to discuss any moves that might happen, but thought i might try and revive it again at the beginning of this season.

Guess that didn't work.

 

[downtown]

Name of thread

How about....

"The Thread Where Only Yoda Posts NHL News Items"



...tsk...tsk...Yoda's a little defensive about his thread......

 

[Hands of Stone]

I have heard of Celebrity Cruises

Originally posted by downtown
Gino with Pavel, so they can travel the globe together boozing, and dabbling in cocaine and hookers.......

Now that sounds like a trip, see if they want to visit the Kamloops Tourney on thier journey's.
Has Downtown signed up yet?

hos

 

[hammerhead]

There are a lot of unsigned free agents of varying degree's still out there

guys like Comrie and Gaborik, who are restricted, as well as guys like Adam Oates and Cliff Ronning. Is this just the teams playing hardball before the CBA is up or a sign of a more frugal NHL?

I heard on the radio that the ownership of all but 5 teams has changed since the last strike. New playing field and the two sides are miles apart

 

[sensei_hanson]

Found this to be a very interesting read, especially with regards to the Fleury incident, and how Phil Housley got involved. Apparently involved, that is.

Hawks put Fleury incident behind them

Canadian Press

9/17/2003

The Chicago Blackhawks enter the 2003-04 NHL campaign with a clean slate and a bunch of younger faces, hoping to erase the public relations nightmare that GM Mike Smith feels derailed their season last winter.

Last January's strip-club incident in Columbus involving Theo Fleury being roughed up by bouncers sent the Blackhawks into a downward spiral, and they missed the playoffs for a fifth time in six years.

``Up until that point we were playing at a 96-point rate,'' Smith said Wednesday from Chicago. ``For 25 games following that we were playing at a 39-point rate. Then we made a bunch of deals at the trade deadline and went back and played at a 97-point rate.

``So when you look at those three different parts of the season, my conclusion is that for whatever reason, that incident was devastating to our team.''

In April, Fleury was placed in Stage 3 of the league's substance abuse and behavioural health program, suspended without pay for at least six months. There was no reason given for the move. He must apply to the league for reinstatement.

There is a movement among fans in Calgary to have Fleury return in a Flames uniform should he be cleared to play later this season. The Hawks still have him under contract after signing him to a two-year $8.5-million US deal in August 2002.

``We'll address that when the time comes,'' was all Smith said when asked what he would do if Fleury was reinstated.

Police in Columbus said Fleury was intoxicated. There were no charges laid and Fleury said he had done nothing wrong.

But there were plenty of questions later about why his teammates wouldn't shield Fleury from that kind of environment. The teammates in the strip club with Fleury that night have never been mentioned publicly.

All that is known is that veteran defenceman Phil Housley was stripped of the `A' on his jersey after the incident and sent to Toronto at the March trade deadline.

``I think we put (the incident) behind us when we made the trades last year at the deadline,'' Smith said, not pointing out anyone in particular. ``That's behind us now.''

Veterans Lyle Odelein, Steve Thomas and Sergei Berezin were also traded at the deadline. It's not believed they were involved in the Fleury incident.

Also gone from last season are forwards Andrei Nikolishin, Chris Simon and Mike Eastwood. Smith's off-season acquisitions were forwards Scott Nichol and Ville Nieminen and defenceman Deron Quint.

And then there's the kids.

``We started a rebuilding process when I came in here three years ago,'' Smith said. ``The players we first drafted, it's now time to see if they're ready to make our team. The theme of our training camp is to see how many of these kids are ready to play and after the first week we've had a real competitive camp and there's a chance we could have three or four kids in our lineup.''

The prized rookie is centre Tuomo Ruutu, whom the Hockey News named the best player outside the NHL in 2002-03. But there's also forwards Igor Radulov, Pavel Vorobiev and Mikhail Yakubov, defenceman Anton Babchuk as well as goalies Mike Leighton and Craig Anderson, who are battling to win the backup job behind starter Jocelyn Thibault.

``My sense is that the ownership here and the entire organization are quite excited about what's going on here right now,'' Smith said. ``With as many as five or six rookies possibly landing regular jobs, there's a sense of excitement here that hasn't been since I got here.''

That certainly doesn't sound like a guy whose job is in jeopardy. Rumours swirled last spring that Smith would be fired as GM, and that Hawks senior vice-president Bob Pulford would bring in his son-in-law, fired Sharks GM Dean Lombardi.

Smith insists he never thought about his job security.

``No, that's never been part of it, at least for me. I don't think any manager thinks of that,'' Smith said. ``Basically we're implementing the plan we put in 3½ years ago when I got hired. There's been no deviation in that.

``There were suggestions around hockey that we bring in older players and so on. Well, we're going with our younger guys. That's my plan and ownership bought into it three and half years ago.''

Despite the youth movement, the Hawks feel they have a chance at slipping into a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference.

``The expectations from other people certainly are lower for our team than they were a year ago,'' Smith said. ``But we think with the core back and some of these young players stepping in and contributing we should have a better team this year.

``I think we'll compete for a playoff spot.''

 

[Yoda]

Berard a Canuck?

Anyone read the article in the province about the Canucks going after unrestricted Free Agent Brian Berard?

"The Canucks have had extensive discussions with Tom Laidlaw, the Connecticut agent for Bryan Berard, with the view to signing the former Boston Bruin now an unrestricted free agent defenceman."

"Any team making Berard an offer must make it at least 80% of the arbitrated figure ($2,008,000 US) or the Bruins would have the right to match"

Calgary is apparently also trying to sign his services.

 

[sensei_hanson]

Boston is in such financial disarray that they would pass on a team offering 50% of Berard's "arbitrated figure".

Normally I'd say Berard was a lock to end up in St. Louis, but they're tightening the pursestrings themselves, and may not want to take on another contract. But they're in dire need of another blueliner with the injuries they've sustained at the position.

I can't really see Berard as a Canuck though...it would make the Slegr signing essentially a waste of money (paying him that much to be a healthy scratch all year, or have him playing in the minors) and basically kill Bryan Allen for another year.

 

[Dude]

Slegr may still be seen as a good deal in the East, though, at $800K. The 'Nucks would probably be able to move him.

I'd like to see Berard here. That would be a good signing...but I don't see it now, especially after giving Big Bert the keys to the vault.

 

[The Apprentice]

Gaborik, Wild end contract dispute


Marian Gaborik became Minnesota's first all-star last year.

Marian Gaborik has agreed to contract terms with the Minnesota Wild, Sportsnet has learned. Gaborik, a right wing, led the Wild with 65 regular-season points last year and scored a team-high 30 goals.

He became the team's first all-star last year and helped lead Minnesota's surprise playoff run that saw the club lose to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the Western Conference finals.

 

[ParkHead]

Did they say how much he signed for?


Parkhead

 

[Yoda]

In this range

Gaborik was originally was asking for close to $6.5 million a year, but lowered his asking price to $13.5 million over three years.

Risebrough had offered Gaborik a three-year, $9.45-million US contract sheet just over two weeks ago, but it was turned down. The offer would have given Gaborik $2.8 million this season, $3.15 million next year and $3.55 million in 2005-06, plus incentives.

NHL.com says this:

Terms were not disclosed, but ESPN is reporting that Gaborik signed a three-year contract worth $10 million, plus bonuses.

 

[downtown]

Hey gabby, use the $$ wisely

Hopefully he has enough sense to take some of the bonus and have a dozen or so of those moles carved off his ugly face. Fcuking endorsements cannot be flying his way at the moment......

 

[Zaurrini]

Interesting.....

(Nov. 3/03) - It’s no secret the Washington Capitals are trying to move some of their big-name players. With Jaromir Jagr clearly available, the Caps are also trying to deal the likes of Robert Lang and Peter Bondra.
The Detroit Red Wings are apparently interested in acquiring Lang, while Bondra has supposedly drawn interest from the Vancouver Canucks, in addition to the Wings.

 

[ParkHead]

Dallas to

Apparently Guerin & Arnott are amongst a few Stars players being shopped around to. There might just be some real movement of some big name players this year before the deadline comes and goes.

Parkhead

 

[hammerhead]

I think both of those guys have shown themselves to be true mercenaries, so if they get picked up, I imaine it will be a trade deadline thing by a team who thinks they need a bit more punch for the big show. It will be a rent -a- player arrangement.

Jagr ? Who will pick that up for 11 million a year? Its stuff like that that make me think the owners are their own worst enemy.

 

[john]

The only player that has any chance of moving right now is Olie Kolzig, and that is to Colorado. BUT Washington won't let him going easily and will force whomever and it probably will be Colorado to take someone that makes way too much cash.......................like a Jagr! I know that sounds stupid but there is no other way to get rid of that contract let alone the CANCER that he brings.

Can you imagine the west and the Lanche with Jagr too.................

John