Is Turco an Option for Chicago?

As we head into the month of August, it's hard to believe that UFA goaltender Marty Turco is still on the market. Obviously, it's been a tough summer for netminders as many clubs appear to be set in goal. However, it's very hard to believe that Turco can't be a starter somewhere.

Many pundits and fans alike are wondering what will happen with this Niemi situation. If the Hawks decide to say goodbye to their Stanley Cup winning netminder, will the team consider signing Turco to take over the reigns?

Furthermore, how much money is Turco looking for? Because, as everyone knows, the Blackhawks cannot afford to put themselves in further cap trouble given everything they have had to give up already. There have been whispers that Chicago is willing to give him around $1.5 to $2 million.

Obviously, the Blackhawks need to see what they decide to do with Niemi before even considering going in another direction. However, Turco is a goaltender who has proved himself to be very successful in the regular season and someone who can step it up in the playoffs if put in the right situation.

Are the Blackhawks the right situation now for Turco? We'll know soon enough.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Will ‘Hawks Say No to Niemi?

Earlier today, it was revealed that Antti Niemi’s arbitration award is $2.75 million. Many believed that number would be well over $3 million, which would have presumably cause the Blackhawks to walk away.

Though the eventual award may seem like a bargain, it is anything but for Chicago, who is currently over the salary cap. According to CapGeek, if the Blackhawks send Cristobal Huet down to the AHL and opt to re-sign Niemi, they would have a little over $2.47 million remaining in cap space.

The tricky thing is that the team would still be three players short of reaching 20 on the roster, and would probably want an additional forward or defenseman for flexibility. For GM Stan Bowman to sign four players at $2.47 million means the signees (or incoming rookies) would have to average approximately $617,000 in salary.

This afternoon, Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago tweeted that it looks likely that the Blackhawks could wind up dealing the Finnish netmidner since the award was still higher than their desired number.

If that is the case, it is heavily rumored that the ‘Hawks will sign veteran Marty Turco to fill the void in net. Where would Niemi land? Well, there are only four teams I can see wanting to add a goalie like Niemi – San Jose, Philadelphia, Washington, and Dallas.

Washington has stated that they are reluctant to add another goaltender as they’re satisfied with youngsters Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth.

San Jose signed Antero Niittymaki earlier this summer, and also has Thomas Greiss under contract. Niittymaki and Niemi wouldn’t be a bad one-two combo – if they don’t feel Greiss is ready for a bigger workload.

Philadelphia could use a better goaltender than Michael Leighton and/or Brian Boucher; but have less than $1 million in cap room, and will likely address their goaltending needs during the season (if need-be).

Dallas is another team that could use an upgrade, but Kari Lehtonen and Andrew Raycroft are signed under one-way contracts… so this option is less than slim.

If the Blackhawks choose to keep Niemi (which is what I would do), they’ll have to finagle around the salary cap. If they decide to part ways, there aren’t too many options for the 26-year-old, Cup-winning netminder. This should be an interesting next couple of days!
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Patrick Hoffman has this to add:
No matter how you look at it, the Blackhawks and Niemi are in a tough spot. Niemi's agent, Bill Zito, never thought that it would come to this and on the Hawks side, they may end up losing a netminder that helped win the team's first Cup in 49 years.

In another article at ESPN Chicago, Rogers said that if the team does accept the deal, fans should expect that it will be Niemi's last season as a Blackhawk. Rogers points out that after this upcoming season, Niemi will be a UFA and mentions that he and his group will not want to deal with what they just had to go through again.

Photo credit: Getty Images

'History Will Be Made' Parodies

For your Saturday afternoon viewing pleasure, he are some of the 'History will be made' parodies I made this past spring... enjoy the weekend!

1997 Re-Drafted

In the fourth and final part of our week-long series, we look at what the 1997 draft could have looked like if hindsight was 20/20. 1997 was certainly top-heavy, with not many past these 26 picks playing in the NHL. Here’s how I think the draft would have played out 13 years later…

1. Boston Bruins – Joe Thornton, C
Career stats: 915 GP, 285 G, 646 A, 931 Pts, +131
Original selection: Joe Thornton
Would Boston take ‘Jumbo Joe’ first overall again? With the B’s, Thornton tallied .85 points per game; that number has risen to 1.25 in San Jose. Thornton has been a great regular season statistical player, but has failed to win when it counts. Still, I think the Bruins go with #19 here…

2. San Jose Sharks – Marian Hossa, RW
Career stats: 832 GP, 363 G, 407 A, 770 Pts, +136
Original selection: Patrick Marleau
It’s hard to make an argument for Marleau to go ahead of Hossa here. The Slovak star has produced around a point-per-game rate since the 2002/03 campaign. Hossa is also a complete forward, playing as well in his own end as he does in the offensive zone. Also, his mythical ‘Cup jinx’ is no longer in effect.

3. Los Angeles Kings – Patrick Marleau, C
Career stats: 953 GP, 320 G, 373 A, 693 Pts, +22
Original selection: Olli Jokinen
Los Angeles goes with Marleau here. He has been a steady producer with Team Teal, scoring 25 or more goals in seven of the last nine seasons, and 82 in the last two years. I’m assuming he would have worked out better in L.A. than Jokinen did.

4. New York Islanders – Roberto Luongo, G
Career stats: 612 GP, 270-254-33-35, 2.57 GAA, .918 SV%
Original selection: Roberto Luongo
With the three best forwards in this draft off the board, the Islanders go with the best goalie available – the one they initially drafted. Luongo is one of the more popular netminders in the league, experiencing great regular season success. He too, though, has struggled in the postseason. No matter what, Luongo is a top-three goalie in the NHL when he’s on top of his game.

5. New York Islanders – Brendan Morrow, LW
Career stats: 667 GP, 193 G, 242 A, 435 Pts, +112
Original selection: Eric Brewer
At 25th overall, Dallas got a steal in Morrow (especially considering the shallow amount of talent). The Stars’ captain has experienced some injuries in recent years, and it may affect his longevity in the league. When Morrow is effective and playing his best, though, he can be a real force on the ice.

6. Calgary Flames – Brian Campbell, D
Career stats: 561 GP, 49 G, 236 A, 285 Pts, +25
Original selection: Daniel Tkaczuk
Despite what some others may think, I see Campbell as an elite puck-moving defenseman – and that’s it. He’s respectable in his own end, and has a decent shot. In the new NHL, though, you need an offensive blueliner like Campbell.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning – Olli Jokinen, C
Career stats: 881 GP, 252 G, 316 A, 568 Pts, -82
Original selection: Paul Mara
Look at the names below, and you’ll understand why Jokinen goes seventh overall. Even though he has produced throughout his career (sometimes at a high level), consider this: every team he has started a season with has missed the playoffs.

8. Boston Bruins – Kristian Huselius, LW
Career stats: 621 GP, 176 G, 252 A, 428 Pts, +3
Original selection: Sergei Samsonov
Between the Flames and Blue Jackets in the last four seasons, Huselius has averaged over 25 goals a year. He is a quality second-line winger, and would have been a better option than Samsonov at this spot if hingsight was 20/20.

9. Washington Capitals – Scott Hannan, D
Career stats: 752 GP, 30 G, 144 A, 174 Pts, +21
Original selection: Nick Boynton
The best thing about Hannan is you know what you’re getting. He’s a solid stay-at-home defenseman, and is extremely durable (six missed games since the lockout). This is the kind of blueliner the Caps could really use right now…

10. Vancouver Canucks – Maxim Afinogenov, RW
Career stats: 651 GP, 158 G, 237 A, 395 Pts, -43
Original selection: Brad Ference
No one can argue Afinogenov’s talent, and he was a valuable commodity in Buffalo after the lockout. The problem with Afinogenov has been the injury woes. From 2006/07 to 2008/09, he missed 86 games and his production decreased rapidly. Due to the lack of depth in this draft, though, Vancouver takes a risk on him.

11. Montreal Canadiens – Ladislav Nagy, LW
Original selection: Jason Ward
12. Ottawa Senators – Eric Brewer, D
Original selection: Marian Hossa
13. Chicago Blackhawks – Henrik Tallinder, D
Original selection: Dan Cleary
14. Edmonton Oilers – Sergei Samsonov, LW
Original selection: Michel Riesen
15. Los Angeles Kings – Matt Cooke, LW
Original selection: Matt Zultek
16. Chicago Blackhawks – Joe Corvo, D
Original selection: Ty Jones
17. Pittsburgh Penguins – Paul Mara, D
Original selection: Robert Dome
18. Anaheim Mighty Ducks – Nick Boynton, D
Original selection: Michael Holmqvist
19. New York Rangers – David Aebischer
Original selection: Stefan Cherneski
20. Florida Panthers – Dan Cleary, LW
Original selection: Mike Brown
21. Buffalo Sabres – Kyle Calder, LW
Original selection: Mika Noranen
22. Carolina Hurricanes – Andrew Ference, D
Original selection: Nikos Tselios
23. San Jose Sharks – Mike York, C
Original selection: Scott Hannan
24. New Jersey Devils – Jason Chimera, LW
Original selection: Jean-Francois Damphousse
25. Dallas Stars – Johan Holmqvist, G
Original selection: Brendan Morrow
26. Colorado Avalanche – Karel Rachunek, D
Original selection: Kevin Grimes

Here were the 1998, 2002 and 2003 features from this week...

Photo credit: Getty Images

Niemi Nonsense

As difficult of a position the Blackhawks find themselves in with their current salary cap situations, I find it absolutely absurd that there is talk about the organization walking away from the arbitrator's ruling on a reward for the Stanley Cup-winning goaltender.

Seriously?

I get that it's a business and sometimes you simply have no other choice then to make a business decision -- like the Philadelphia Flyers did with Simon Gagne.

But let's realize here what is potentially about to happen. The Chicago Blackhawks might -- I said might -- let the goaltender who helped them capture hockey immortality walk. Sure, you can debate that he was not the best goaltender in the playoffs; but can you really fault him for having a few shaky games? It was the kid's first time playing for the greatest prize in all of sports.

For those who are making the argument that Niemi is not that good of a goaltender, I present you with this: 16-6, 2.63 GAA, .910 SV% -- the playoff statistics of a 26-year-old netminder making his first playoff appearance. Oh, don't forget that he also had two shutouts during the playoffs as well.

Stan Bowman held a conference call yesterday stating that the Niemi decision would be worked out (as soon as this weekend) and they will find a way to keep him on board regardless of the arbitrator's ruling.

He also stated that Patrick Sharp will not be moved; which leads this writer to believe that Cristobal Huet has worked his way out of Chicago. Demoralizing.

Like the situation (no, not the fist-pumper) in New York with Wade Redden, a poor judgment call by management to offer a contract with a ludicrous salary is not only putting your team in cap jeapordy, but it is also going to potentially destroy an NHL player's career.

Regardless, the Hawks would be foolish to walk away from the Niemi decision, assuming it is in the range of $2.75-$3.5 million. If the arbitrator is generous and rewards Niemi anywhere in the $4 million range, the Hawks would not have to walk away from the offer -- they'll run.

In a limited market for goaltenders, especially with Marty Turco and Jose Theodore still jobless, a sign-and-trade would not make sense in this situation.

But again, how do you -- as an organization -- let your Cup-winning netminder become exposed? And again, the only solution to any of this will be the release (of sorts) of Huet.

During the course of the regular season, Niemi posted a record of 26-7-4 with a 2.25 GAA and a .912 SV%. Seven of his 26 wins came by way of shutting out his opponent.

As much as Brian Campbell is a solid defenseman, it is just another contract biting the Hawks in the rear at this point in time.

Something has to give come tomorrow. Niemi's arbitration outcome will be official, and that's when GM Stan Bowman and company will have 48 hours to make a decision on the future of their goaltender.

If I'm a betting man, Niemi stays in Chicago -- with the team accepting his award and Bowman (again) working the phones to get something done to free up enough cap space to make it a comfortable situation all around.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Which Way Should Boston Go?

The Bruins have one more player to re-sign before they virtually have their roster set for opening night – it’s restricted free agent Blake Wheeler. Last night, an arbiter rewarded him with a $2.2 million contract for one year. Boston now has 48 hours to decide to accept the deal, do a sign-and-trade, or let him walk to free agency (they can also buy out a player in that time span).

According to Cap Geek, the B’s have just over $12,000 in cap space… that is obviously not enough to sign anyone. This is where it gets interesting.

Wheeler had a wonderful rookie campaign when Boston was the best team in the east. But when the team struggled to repeat their success from 2008/09, so did Wheeler (along with almost every other Bruin). Two years ago, Wheeler was second in the NHL with a plus-36 rating. He registered 45 points in 81 games, and was a great depth presence for the B’s.

Boston now must decide whether they’d be getting the Wheeler from 2008/09, or the one that disappeared for stretches at a time last year (38 points, -4).

There’s no doubting Wheeler’s talent. The soon-to-be 24-year-old is 6’5” with a nice shot and room to grow his game. He does need to use his size more and crash the crease more often, but he’s still learning and developing. I mean, he was drafted fifth overall by Phoenix in 2004… which is a signal his great rookie campaign wasn’t necessarily a ‘fluke’.

Compared to other youngsters with his skill-set, $2.2 million is a pretty fair number… especially for a guy who could thrive in a contract year and a season after having some growing pains. Clarke MacArthur was rewarded a $2.4 million deal in Atlanta through arbitration; Atlanta balked, and now he’s a free agent.

It is decision time for GM Peter Chiarelli… what do you do?

Do you let Wheeler walk to free agency? I don’t think there’s any way Chiarelli would let him go for nothing. If Boston wishes to part ways, I’m willing to bet one of the other 29 GMs would be happy to add Wheeler to their club.

Do you buy out someone to make room? The only viable option would be Michael Ryder, who has one year and $4 million remaining. Yet, even with buying out Ryder, the Bruins wouldn’t have enough cap room to fit Wheeler’s $2.2 million. (Remember, Seguin’s entry-level deal and subsequent bonuses have to come into consideration, too). I don’t think this is the direction they go in either.

Do you trade Marc Savard or Tim Thomas? This could be the more likely scenario. Savard is more likely to be traded than Thomas… simply because the goaltending market is even more irrelevant than it was back on July 1 (which is saying something).

It’s not like Savard is a cinch to be traded, though. Some teams could be backing off because of the injury worries, even though his cap hit ($4.083M) is favorable considering his elite playmaking abilities.

If I were Chiarelli, I’d sign Wheeler to the arbitrated deal and hang on to Savard. Where does that leave us? Trading Ryder in a virtual salary-dump deal. A team needing to get to the cap floor (Islanders?) could be willing take on Ryder if a draft pick is included, possibly being exchanged for a low-tier prospect.

That way you can hold on to your premier pieces while playing Tyler Seguin at wing in Ryder’s place. If you need to trade Savard in the next year or two, let him rebuild his trade value – with Nathan Horton and Seguin on board, that shouldn’t be hard to do if he stays in the lineup – and let Seguin take the reins of top-line center when he’s ready.

With a healthy #91 in the lineup this year, the Bruins can go places. The most likely scenario, however, seems to be Chiarelli trading Savard to a club looking for help at center.

It should be an interesting 48 hours in Beantown…

Photo credit: Getty Images

(UPDATE: Wheeler has indeed been re-signed by the Bruins. It'll be interesting to see Boston's subsequent move to relieve cap space.)

1998 Re-Drafted

In part three of our week-long series, we look at what the 1998 draft could have looked like if hindsight was 20/20 (here were the 2002 and 2003 features). 1998 lacked big-time star power past the first couple picks in this re-draft, but it did have depth when it came to value. Here’s how I think the draft would have played out 12 years later…

1. Tampa Bay Lightning – Pavel Datsyuk, C
Career stats: 606 GP, 198 G, 394 A, 592 Pts, +176
Original selection: Vincent Lecavalier
Pavel Datsyuk – an 8th round pick by Detroit – is the complete package… and while Lecavalier is a nice player with size and skill, no one in this draft class can compare to what Datsyuk has done in his first decade in the league. He’s won two Stanley Cups, puts up points at almost a per-game-rate, and has an infinite amount of hardware (mostly Selkes and Lady Byngs) on his shelf at home.

2. Nashville Predators – Vincent Lecavalier, C
Career stats: 869 GP, 326 G, 413 A, 739 Pts, -105
Original selection: David Legwand
Since they were drafted next to each other, Lecavalier is the player most Predator fans always compare Legwand to – and it always leaves Pred Nation disappointed. Lecavalier is the kind of center that the Predators have been seeking for some time.

3. San Jose Sharks – Brad Richards, C
Career stats: 700 GP, 192 G, 447 A, 639 Pts, -73
Original selection: Brad Stuart
Between the Lightning and Stars, Richards has been a really solid point-producing pivot. He has never scored 30 goals in a season, but has recorded 50-plus assists four times. Richards tied his career-high in points (91) in 2009/10, and still has a handful of quality seasons left in him. He also has a Conn Smythe to his credit…

4. Vancouver Canucks – Andrei Markov, D
Career stats: 616 GP, 80 G, 283 A, 363 Pts, +29
Original selection: Bryan Allen
The Russian blueliner has really blossomed since the lockout, especially when Sheldon Souray left town. Markov has developed into one of the better (and underrated) two-way defensemen in the NHL. He is someone Vancouver could have used in the past and in the present.

5. Anaheim Mighty Ducks – Simon Gagne, LW
Career stats: 664 GP, 259 G, 265 A, 524 Pts, +143
Original selection: Vitali Vishnevsky
In Philly, Simon Gagne was loved and his on-ice play certainly backed it up. Even though he has run into injury problems lately, Gagne has always been clutch. He scored a career-high 47 goals in 2005/06, and has scored some of the more memorable playoff goals for the Flyers in recent memory.

6. Calgary Flames – Scott Gomez, C
Career stats: 784 GP, 160 G, 477 A, 637 Pts, +61
Original selection: Rico Fata
Is Gomez a $7 million a year player? No. But has he been a quality playmaking center over the years? Absolutely. The Alaskan native won a pair of Cups in New Jersey, but has struggled to continue that same success with the Rangers and Habs. With that being said, Gomez was a valuable center in his better years (and still is).

7. New York Rangers – Alex Tanguay, LW
Career stats: 739 GP, 203 G, 414 A, 617 Pts, +155
Original selection: Manny Malhotra
Tanguay is in the same boat as Gomez here. His production has dipped, but was a quality forward when on top of his game. From 2000/01 to 2006/07, Tanguay was one of the better wingers in the league, playing a strong two-way game.

8. Chicago Blackhawks – Brian Gionta, RW
Career stats: 534 GP, 180 G, 178 A, 358 Pts, +65
Original selection: Mark Bell
Gionta very well may be the product of a one-year fluke (89 points in 2005/06). But he seemed to tap into that potential in Montreal this year, netting 28 goals in 61 games – which translates to 37 in a full season. Gionta is also a great leader off the ice, which makes him a solid pick for any team.

9. New York Islanders – Robyn Regehr, D
Career stats: 747 GP, 27 G, 119 A, 146 Pts, +28
Original selection: Michael Rupp
Calgary has had a gem in Regehr for the last number of years. He doesn’t stand out on the stat sheet, and you probably don’t notice him much when watching the Flames (unless he’s laying a hit); but that’s a good thing. Regehr is as solid as they come when you’re talking about stay-at-home defensemen.

10. Toronto Maple Leafs – Mike Ribeiro, C
Career stats: 581 GP, 136 G, 290 A, 426 Pts, +4
Original selection: Nikolai Antropov
The ex-Canadiens and current Stars center rounds out the top ten, and was a second-rounder in 1998. Ribeiro has recorded two 50-plus assist seasons, but can be streaky. In the end, Ribeiro is a solid second-line center that can produce.

11. Carolina Hurricanes – Jonathan Cheechoo, RW
Original selection: Jeff Heerema
12. Colorado Avalanche – Mike Fisher, C
Original selection: Alex Tanguay
13. Edmonton Oilers – Brad Stuart, D
Original selection: Michael Henrich
14. Phoenix Coyotes – Nikolai Antropov, C
Original selection: Patrick DesRochers
15. Ottawa Senators – Erik Cole, LW
Original selection: Mathieu Chouinard
16. Montreal Canadiens – Shawn Horcoff, C
Original selection: Eric Chouinard
17. Colorado Avalanche – Jaroslav Spacek, D
Original selection: Martin Skoula
18. Buffalo Sabres – Alexei Ponikarovsky, LW
Original selection: Dmitri Kalinin
19. Colorado Avalanche – Mikael Samuelsson, RW
Original selection: Robyn Regehr
20. Colorado Avalanche – David Legwand, C
Original selection: Scott Parker
21. Los Angeles Kings – Francois Beauchemin, D
Original selection: Mathieu Biron
22. Philadelphia Flyers – Michael Ryder, RW
Original selection: Simon Gagne
23. Pittsburgh Penguins – Chris Neil, RW
Original selection: Milan Kraft
24. St. Louis Blues – Rob Scuderi, D
Original selection: Christian Backman
25. Detroit Red Wings – Trent Hunter, RW
Original selection: Jiri Fischer
26. New Jersey Devils – Jarkko Ruutu, LW
Original selection: Mike Van Ryn
27. New Jersey Devils – Bryan Allen, D
Original selection: Scott Gomez

Check back tomorrow as we check out what 1997 could have looked like!

Photos credit: Getty Images

Top 10 Hockey Agitators

TSN recently had a show featuring the top ten agitators of all-time...



Here was their list:
1. Matthew Barnaby
2. Bryan Watson
3. Steve Ott
4. Ken Linseman
5. Sean Avery
6. Claude Lemieux
7. Billy Smith
8. Dale Hunter
9. Darcy Tucker
10. Eddie Shack

What do you think?

2003 Re-Drafted

In part two of our week-long series, we take a gander at what the 2003 draft could have looked like (here was 2002 from yesterday). 2003 will likely go down as one of the best NHL draft classes in history. Here’s how I think the draft would have played out seven years later…

1. Pittsburgh Penguins – Marc-Andre Fleury, G
Career stats: 302 GP, 148-106-2, 2.82 GAA, .907 SV%
Original selection: Marc-Andre Fleury
Pittsburgh’s franchise goaltender had a rough first impression in the NHL, but has been solid since. Fleury has 35-plus wins in three of the last four years, and was injured for a good chunk of the 2006/07 campaign. Add that to the Cup already on his resume, and I don’t think the Pens go a different route if they re-drafted.

2. Carolina Hurricanes – Eric Staal, C
Career stats: 479 GP, 193 G, 235 A, 428 Pts, -3
Original selection: Eric Staal
If you take out Staal’s rookie year in 2003/04, he has virtually been a point-per-game player. He’s been the heart of the Hurricanes for the last number of years, and took off once he received the ‘C’ in January. Staal was also a big factor in the Canes’ Cup run in 2006.

3. Florida Panthers – Shea Weber, D
Career stats: 320 GP, 64 G, 102 A, 166 Pts, +16
Original selection: Nathan Horton
I don’t believe there’s much arguing that Weber is a franchise defenseman in this league – he’s big, he’s mean, and he’s a force. He is an anchor in his own end while possessing one of the hardest and heaviest slapshots in the NHL today. Nashville definitely got a steal in round two with Weber.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets – Zach Parise, LW
Career stats: 407 GP, 160 G, 175 A, 335 Pts, +63
Original selection: Nikolai Zherdev
Parise just seems to get better and better with every year. He has tallied 176 points and a +54 rating in the last two seasons, leading the Devils to a pair of division titles. Parise is one of the more complete wingers in the league, and to think he can still get better is kind of scary.

5. Buffalo Sabres – Ryan Getzlaf, C
Career stats: 363 GP, 107 G, 232 A, 339 Pts, +64
Original selection: Thomas Vanek
Once Getzlaf fully develops, he’ll be one of the more dominant centers in the entire NHL. He has one of the biggest frames for a forward, and can put up points with the best of them. Buffalo could certainly use a big center like Getzlaf anchoring the top line, wouldn’t you say?

6. San Jose Sharks – Mike Richards, C
Career stats: 372 GP, 110 G, 173 A, 283 Pts, +28
Original selection: Milan Michalek
While Michalek was in San Jose, he was a very useful winger for the Sharks. Looking back, though, GM Doug Wilson could have done better at #6. Richards is a premier two-way center and does the little things that help his team win. And five years from now, I can see Richards being regarded as one of the best captains in the NHL.

7. Nashville Predators – Ryan Suter, D
Career stats: 393 GP, 27 G, 126 A, 153 Pts, +8
Original selection: Ryan Suter
If this draft was re-selected, I don’t think GM David Poile would venture off from taking Suter at this spot. The U.S. Olympian had his growing pains early, but his defensive has developed really well over the years. He is so calm and collected in his own zone, and plays in all situations.

8. Atlanta Thrashers – Corey Perry, RW
Career stats: 368 GP, 118 G, 153 A, 271 Pts, +35
Original selection: Braydon Coburn
Perry is one of the most hated players around the league… why? Because he does his job, and does it perfectly. He disrupts the netminder and can be a pest to opposing defensemen – all while scoring. Perry makes a big impact for Anaheim, and I wouldn’t rule out a 40-goal season in his future.

9. Calgary Flames – Brent Seabrook, D
Career stats: 392 GP, 30 G, 114 A, 144 Pts, +55
Original selection: Dion Phaneuf
I’m willing to bet the Flames would have liked to draft Seabrook instead of Phaneuf. Seabrook doesn’t have the offensive capabilities Phaneuf does, but the Blackhawks blueliner is better in his own end and has less defensive deficiencies.

10. Montreal Canadiens – Jeff Carter, C
Career stats: 381 GP, 145 G, 132 A, 277 Pts, +24
Original selection: Andrei Kostitsyn
Carter is known to be strictly a goal-scorer – and a streaky one at that. With that being said, Carter would give the Habs a dimension that can only be matched by Michael Cammalleri. The Flyers forward already a 46-goal season under his belt, and wouldn’t be surprised to see him flirt with 50 one day.

11. Philadelphia Flyers – Thomas Vanek, LW
Original selection: Jeff Carter
12. New York Rangers – Dion Phaneuf, D
Original selection: Hugh Jessiman
13. Los Angeles Kings – Dustin Brown, LW
Original selection: Dustin Brown
14. Chicago Blackhawks – Ryan Kesler, C
Original selection: Brent Seabrook
15. New York Islanders – Joe Pavelski, C
Original selection: Robert Nilsson
16. San Jose Sharks – Loui Eriksson, LW
Original selection: Steve Bernier
17. New Jersey Devils – Patrice Bergeron, C
Original selection: Zach Parise
18. Washington Capitals – Jaroslav Halak, G
Original selection: Eric Fehr
19. Anaheim Mighty Ducks – Nathan Horton, RW
Original selection: Ryan Getzlaf
20. Minnesota Wild – Milan Michalek, LW
Original selection: Brent Burns
21. Boston Bruins – David Backes, RW
Original selection: Mark Stuart
22. Edmonton Oilers – Nikolai Zherdev, LW
Original selection: Marc-Antoine Pouliot
23. Vancouver Canucks – Jimmy Howard, G
Original selection: Ryan Kesler
24. Philadelphia Flyers – Braydon Coburn, D
Original selection: Mike Richards
25. Florida Panthers – Matt Carle, D
Original selection: Anthony Stewart
26. Los Angeles Kings – Tobias Enstrom, D
Original selection: Brian Boyle
27. Los Angeles Kings – Andrei Kostitsyn, RW
Original selection: Jeff Tambellini
28. Anaheim Mighty Ducks – Dustin Byfuglien, RW
Original selection: Corey Perry
29. Ottawa Senators – Brian Elliott, G
Original selection: Patrick Eaves
30. St. Louis Blues – Lee Stempniak, RW
Original selection: Shawn Belle

Check back the rest of the week as we’ll rewind back to the 1990’s!

Photo credit: Getty Images

Kings ‘Settle’ for Ponikarovsky

Just hours after ex-King Alexander Frolov signed with the Rangers, Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi inked Alexei Ponikarovsky to a one-year, $3 million deal (with an additional $200,000 signing bonus). The Ukrainian fits in on the team’s second or third line, and should still be able to score his usual 20-plus goals.

If you would have told me that ‘Poni’ would be the biggest acquisition for the Kings in July, I’d probably had been surprised. L.A. came into the off-season with a lot of cap space to burn, and the desire to add a star (via free agency or trade). After striking out on Ilya Kovalchuk – and probably a defenseman or two as a result to the wait for Kovy – Lombardi had to settle for ‘Plan C’ or ‘D’.

Ponikarovsky is a good signing, and it’s not much of a risk since it’s just a one year deal. He didn’t impress anyone in Pittsburgh, scoring three goals in 27 games (including the playoffs). However, he has scored 20 or more goals in four of the last five years. Perhaps moving out west and taking on a lesser role without much pressure will benefit ‘Poni’.

With most of the free agents picked over, Lombardi may have to resort to the trade route to find other needs. The Kings could still use a second-line center as Brayden Schenn is presumably still a year away from being NHL-ready. There aren’t many options through trade, although Marc Savard would be intriguing (not likely).

They would also like to add a defenseman to solidify the back end, preferably a solid two-way blueliner. If they can’t land someone like Savard, Toronto’s Tomas Kaberle could be an option for Lombardi, who is on the block until August 15 (when his NTC kicks back in). On the market, Willie Mitchell is the best defenseman left, but isn’t exactly who the Kings are looking for.

Kings fans have been disappointed with their off-season thus far… and rightfully so. It’s July 28, and all they have to show for is Ponikarovsky (which really is a solid signing).

That said, expectations were high when late June rolled around, and Lombardi has played his conservative card yet again. Though it should pay off in the long haul, this Kings club is a piece away from being a threat to win it all.

Will Lombardi make that move before September comes calling, or will he rely on the youngsters to carry the team?

Photo credit: Getty Images

'RLD Hockey Talk' - Episode 25 Outline

You can listen to tonight's show HERE at 8 PM ET/7 CT!

7:00 CT
- Show Introduction
- Welcome in co-hosts Buddy Oakes & Anthony Curatolo
- Recent news: Frolov and Ponikarovsky

7:05 CT (roughly)
- Welcome in guest Kevin Allen, USA Today
- Ilya Kovalchuk update
- Rangers’ plans
- Kings’ plans
- Growing KHL factor
- Best and worst off-seasons
- Thoughts on Winter Classic

7:30 CT (roughly)
- Welcome in guest Launy ‘The’ Schwartz, Hockey54.com
- The Score’s ‘Drafted 2’
- Favorite moments of Vegas/Awards
- Price over Halak… right decision?
- Can the NHL work in Winnipeg? Quebec?
- Thoughts on Winter Classic

7:50/55 CT (roughly)
- Roundtable Discussion

Winter Classic Presser Video

Here is some video from today's Winter Classic press conference in Pittsburgh...

Frolov signs with New York

Reports yesterday suggested that ex-Kings forward Alexander Frolov was on the verge of signing with the New York Rangers. It’s now official, as the 28-year old Russian has signed a one-year contract with the Blueshirts, worth $3 million.

Frolov has been rumored to head to the Rangers for some time now, and very well could be a nice fit alongside Marian Gaborik. He struggled in his contract year in Los Angeles, scoring 19 goals – well below his usual rate; Frolov netted 35 goals in 2006/07, and 32 in 2008/09. But a change of scenery could pay off for him.

Playing on a one-year contract, and signing for less money than he probably initially asked for, Frolov’s addition to the Rangers lineup could really pay big dividends. It’s also not a risky signing; remember last summer when GM Glen Sather dished out a three-year, $9 million deal to Ales Kotalik? This signing looks much better than that one.

The Rangers must find a center for Gaborik and Frolov, and the answer will likely have to come in-house. Brandon Dubinsky is the likely top-line center to start out the year, while youngsters Evgeny Grachev and/or Artem Anisimov could fit there if they impress early on.

With Frolov under contract, Sather now has $1.4 million to sign remaining restricted free agents Marc Staal and Enver Lisin. It’s just a matter of time before Wade Redden and his $6.5 million salary gets waived to Hartford.

The addition of Frolov doesn’t make the Rangers a playoff team… but it shores up their offensive core that was lacking skill after Gaborik.

The top remaining free agent wingers are now Maxim Afinogenov, Lee Stempniak, and Alexei Ponikarovsky, among others.

Photo credit: Getty Images

2002 Re-Drafted

What if you could rewind back to previous drafts and re-select the picks? In every draft there are steals late in the draft that turn out to be first-round value. In 2002, there were a good handful of players taken past the top 30 (not as many as other years, but still a fair amount). Here’s how I think the 2002 draft should have played out eight years later…

1. Columbus Blue Jackets – Rick Nash, LW
Career stats: 517 GP, 227 G, 195 A, 422 Pts, -54
Original selection: Rick Nash
Nash has been the face of the Blue Jackets franchise since being selected number one in 2002. Although he has the skills to be a 50-goal-scorer, Nash has never had the luxury of a true top-line center to play alongside.

2. Atlanta Thrashers – Cam Ward, G
Career stats: 272 GP, 138-100-23, 2.79 GAA, .905 SV%
Original selection: Kari Lehtonen
Instead of taking Lehtonen, I bet Thrashers GM Don Waddell wishes he had taken the next goaltender selected – Cam Ward. Ward already has a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe to his credit, and all he has done in two playoff stints is win big games. Lehtonen had a hard time staying on the ice with Atlanta… and even then, he wasn’t all that special.

3. Florida Panthers – Duncan Keith, D
Career stats: 404 GP, 45 G, 152 A, 197 Pts, +73
Original selection: Jay Bouwmeester
Unlike Bouwmeester, Keith has won a Stanley Cup and Norris Trophy. Keith, a second-rounder back in 2002, bloomed later than Bouwmeester, but is arguably the best all-around defenseman in the game today.

4. Philadelphia Flyers – Jay Bouwmeester, D
Career stats: 553 GP, 56 G, 176 A, 232 Pts, -31
Original selection: Joni Pitkanen
It has been a long time since Philly has drafted and developed a stud defenseman. Pitkanen was thought to be that guy, but his stint with the team was short-lived after one bad season (2006/07). I have a feeling Bouwmeester – a solid two-way presence – could have been that blueliner the Flyers have been trying to find via the draft.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins – Alexander Semin, LW
Career stats: 327 GP, 148 G, 152 A, 300 Pts, +34
Original selection: Ryan Whitney
When you look at Semin’s stats, you wonder why he’d go this low. But he doesn’t play well in his own zone, is known to loaf at times, and has failed to take his game to the next level in the postseason. With that being said, I bet the Pens would have rather picked Semin over Whitney.

6. Nashville Predators – Joni Pitkanen, D
Career stats: 411 GP, 46 G, 175 A, 221 Pts, +7
Original selection: Scottie Upshall
Upshall had a rather disappointing stint in Nashville, even though he didn’t last long before getting dealt in the Peter Forsberg deal. Pitkanen would be a nice defenseman for the Predators, offensively… but isn’t the best fit in Barry Trotz’s system.

7. Anaheim Mighty Ducks – Ryan Whitney, D
Career stats: 354 GP, 41 G, 158 A, 199 Pts, -13
Original selection: Joffrey Lupul
Whitney has already gotten his chance with Anaheim, splitting 82 games between the last two seasons, being traded to and from at back-to-back deadlines. However, it may have been a different story if Whitney came up through the Ducks’ system. He may have worked out better than Lupul…

8. Minnesota Wild – Keith Ballard, D
Career stats: 397 GP, 33 G, 116 A, 149 Pts, -11
Original selection: Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Ever since coming into the league with Phoenix after the lockout, Ballard has been a steady, durable defenseman. Minnesota has had some defenseman fail to live up to expectations… but would Ballard have bucked the trend? Possibly.

9. Florida Panthers – Joffrey Lupul, RW
Career stats: 395 GP, 112 G, 113 A, 225 Pts, -42
Original selection: Petr Taticek
The fact that Lupul ‘should have’ been the 9th overall pick in 2002 tells you all you need to know about this draft class. At the same time, though, Lupul has played in 392 more NHL games than Taticek, who is currently playing in Switzerland.

10. Calgary Flames – Pierre-Marc Bouchard, C
Career stats: 426 GP, 77 G, 190 A, 267 Pts, +16
Original selection: Eric Nystrom
Bouchard played in just one game in 2009/10, but has three seasons of 50 points or more under his belt. When on the ice, Bouchard can be a nice playmaking center – something the Flames could have used for the last few seasons.

11. Buffalo Sabres – Tom Gilbert, D
Original selection: Keith Ballard
12. Washington Capitals – Matt Stajan, C
Original selection: Steve Eminger
13. Washington Capitals – Kari Lehtonen, G
Original selection: Alexander Semin
14. Montreal Canadiens – Matthew Lombardi, C
Original selection: Chris Higgins
15. Edmonton Oilers – Valterri Filppula, C
Original selection: Jesse Niinimaki
16. Ottawa Senators – Alex Steen, C
Original selection: Jakub Klepis
17. Washington Capitals – Tomas Fleischmann, C
Original selection: Boyd Gordon
18. Los Angeles Kings – Matt Greene, D
Original selection: Denis Grebeshkov
19. Phoenix Coyotes – Jiri Hudler, C
Original selection: Jakub Koreis
20. Buffalo Sabres – Jarret Stoll, C
Original selection: Daniel Paille
21. Chicago Blackhawks – Scottie Upshall, RW
Original selection: Anton Babchuk
22. New York Islanders – Denis Grebeshkov, D
Original selection: Sean Bergenheim
23. Phoenix Coyotes – Chris Higgins, C
Original selection: Ben Eager
24. Toronto Maple Leafs – Josh Harding, G
Original selection: Alex Steen
25. Carolina Hurricanes – Trevor Daley, D
Original selection: Cam Ward
26. Dallas Stars – Petr Prucha, RW
Original selection: Martin Vagnar
27. San Jose Sharks – James Wisniewski, D
Original selection: Mike Morris
28. Colorado Avalanche – Dennis Wideman, D
Original selection: Jonas Johansson
29. Boston Bruins – Johnny Boychuk, D
Original selection: Hannu Toivonen
30. Atlanta Thrashers – Max Talbot, C
Original selection: Jim Slater

Check back tomorrow for a look-back at what the 2003 draft may have looked like if it was re-selected!

Photo credit: Getty Images

NHL 11 Videos

NHL 11 from EA Sports is due to be released on September 7. There are already some cool videos and trailers for the game... here are a few.

The trailer...


The producer video...


Disallowed goal clip...

RLD Vault: High Fives of 2009/10

This was originally posted on April 13
We decided to wait for the final weekend before we added any goals/saves to our top five. I'm glad we did, because Daniel Sedin's beautiful goal from Saturday is a lock! Here are our top five goals, and below are the top saves and blunders from this season, as well!

TOP 5 GOALS...
1. Steven Stamkos @ Anaheim

2. Daniel Sedin vs. Calgary

3. Rob Schremp @ Colorado

4. Mark Giordano @ Phoenix

5. Alex Ovechkin @ New York


TOP 5 SAVES...
1. Miikka Kiprusoff @ San Jose

2. Tim Thomas vs. Florida (shootout)

3. Andrew Raycroft @ Phoenix

4. Cam Ward vs. Pittsburgh

5. Dwayne Roloson vs. Tampa Bay


TOP 5 BLUNDERS...
1. Keith Ballard (not once, but twice!!)


2. Cristobal Huet vs. Dallas

3. Nate Thompson vs. New York

4. Ondrej Pavelec vs. Washington

5. Patrick Eaves @ Nashville

Are the Blackhawks in Trouble?

If you're a Chicago Blackhawks fan, then you've certainly been through a heckuva lot over the past two months or so.

Back in mid June, the Hawks reached the top of the hockey world by winning its first Stanley Cup in 49 years. The team did this by getting timely goal scoring, being physical, getting the big saves when they needed it and overall, playing a terrific team game.

Shortly after, however, the Hawks lost several integral players to that championship run. No, the team did not want these guys to go but GM Stan Bowman had to do something about the team's cap problems. As such, guys like Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Kris Versteeg, Brent Sopel were all traded away.

Now, the team also risks losing goaltender Antti Niemi. According to Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com, there has been no progress between Niemi and the club when it comes to contract talks.

Bill Zito, Niemi's agent, said the following in the article linked above:

"I'm a bit at their mercy trying to find creative solutions to a problem I have
no control over," Niemi's agent, Bill Zito, said on Wednesday.

So, where does this leave the Hawks for next season? Yes, they still have Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and others to help carry this team.

However, one has to wonder what 2010-11 has in store for what will be the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

New York Islanders Made Wrong Move

For the longest time, the New York Islanders have been trying to get respect in the National Hockey League from organizations, players, fans and media.



If this is really the case, than the team made the wrong move yesterday when it did not renew color analyst Billy Jaffe's contract.



According to Chris Botta's Blog, NYI Point Blank (the blog is linked above), the Islanders did not think the Jaffe was positive enough about the team:



Multiple sources have told Point Blank that MSG Network had a multi-year contract in place with Billy Jaffe, but the Islanders declined to approve Jaffe's return because his analysis was not positive enough.



What's amazing is that many fans and media alike in the NHL disagree with the Islanders. These folks say that Jaffe was more than a big supporter of the team as he helped out and volunteered at team draft parties, NYI TV and also talked about the team a lot while being a co-host of NHL Live from time to time.



Jaffe is one of the hardest working guys in the business and the Isles did themselves a disservice by showing him the door. Yes, I know that Chris Botta says that former Islander greats Butch Goring and Denis Potvin could get the position but in my opinion, Jaffe is the better analyst in the group.



Not sure what Charles Wang and the rest of the Islander organization is thinking here. Do you?

New York and Hockey

Nothing like the bright lights within a city that never sleeps.

New York has many reasons to be loved and hated. The tourism and sight seeing is out of this world, but the rise in standard of living makes it a difficult place to create a future.

There is one major issue when it comes to the National Hockey League, or any hockey for that matter, here in New York - it truly does not get the love it deserves from any of the media outlets.

That was until Wednesday night.

During one of 1050 AM ESPN Radio's programs, a caller called in with a bogus rumor about New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro. The caller stated that DiPietro had been involved in a major car accident and sustained a "broken back" from the magnitude of the accident.

This led to a massive outcry for confirmation amongst the Islanders community on the lovely social media site known as Twitter.

Sure enough, Katie Strang from Newsday, Chris Botta from IslandersPointBlank.com, and the official twitter feed of the New York Islanders all ran to their phones, e-mails and any other means of contact to their sources or DiPietro himself to find out the truth.

The good news is that within minutes, this rumor was shot dead. DiPietro was contacted and stated that he was fine and not involved in any kind of accident.

Islanders nation was able to breathe a massive and collective sigh of relief. That sigh of relief was furthered when GM Garth Snow said that DiPietro was on course to be in camp come September with a clean bill of health.

The issue here is, why did it take a fabricated rumor to get hockey involved on one of the cities major sporting news outlets? The answer is simple. Here in New York, with the Yankees, Giants, Jets, Knicks, and Mets, the Rangers, Islanders and Devils (well, if two New Jersey based football teams are involved here then the states hockey team should be brought into this as well) are last on the list in sports discussions.

That is truly unfortunate. Especially when you consider some of the talent on all three clubs. The Rangers have Marian Gaborik and Henrik Lundqvist, the Devils have Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur (currently) and the Islanders have a kid by the name of John Tavares as well as a slew of young, promising stars on the rise.

So I ask this simple question: Why is there a very limited amount of hockey coverage in the local media?

Yes, as of late, even the local news has made mention of the Ilya Kovalchuk debacle, but when it comes to pure hockey talk, the limited amount of programs that actually take part in it is minimal.

Of course, NHL Live is featured out of the NHL store, which is located in midtown Manhattan. However, that is an NHL sanctioned show and really does not have much to do with the local teams - meaning it is purely for the entire league and does not signal out the Rangers, Devils or Islanders.

It was an amazing thing to witness the many fans of the organization come out of the woodwork last night, even if it was in a panic frenzy. There is plenty of passion from the hockey fans here, regardless of who they root for.

It's time we all step up for a cause here and get hockey the love it truly deserves. Debate about the lockout being a huge reason for the lack of love for the sport all you want for I do not buy it.

There is a waiting list in Montreal for season ticket purchases, the San Jose Sharks do not have a hard time getting fans to games, the Philadelphia Flyers are filled to capacity for most games, and even the smaller market teams have had their teams in the spotlight of local media.

How can New York, the Big Apple, not be able to match, at the least, the coverage that the rest of the league gets?

Simply stated, it's an absolute shame.

photo credit: PodBean.com

Tough Life for Netminders This Summer

When it comes to NHL Free Agency, teams look at every available player at every position and see what is a best fit for them.

Every year, it seems that teams do everything they can to get the best goalie on the UFA market. This off-season, the biggest goaltender movement happened when Jaroslav Halak was traded by the Montreal Canadiens to the St. Louis Blues and then signed to a multi-year deal worth a lot of money.

However, after that, it's been pretty quite as netminders such as Martin Biron (New York Rangers), Dan Ellis (Tampa Bay Lightning), Chris Mason (Atlanta Thrashers) Antero Niittymaki (San Jose Sharks), and Evgeni Nabokov (KHL) all found new teams/leagues to play in.

One big UFA netminder yoo do not see mentioned in the above paragraph is Marty Turco. Turco had lots of success in Dallas even though he stumbled in the playoffs more often than not.

With that being said, however, it's hard to imagine why he is still on the market. Many hockey fans and pundits figured that by now, he'd have been signed by the Philadelphia Flyers. Now, this can still happen but a few weeks ago, the team re-upped Michael Leighton for two years.

If you're a Flyers fan, is Michael Leighton who you want to be your starting goaltender? Why not sign Turco, who can handle a ton of games, to a short-term deal?

Another UFA netminder who is still on the market is Jose Theodore. Unfortunately, it's tough to figure out where he will go as there has not been much talk about him this summer.

Theodore had a solid year with the Washington Capitals last season and had a terrific Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens before getting pulled in Game 2 after allowing a few goals in the first period and handing the reigns over to Semyon Varlamov.

And while not a UFA, Tim Thomas's name keeps being brought up as possible trade bait given that Tuuka Rask is now the clear cut No.1 goaltender for the Boston Bruins. Thomas is a guy who won the Vezina Trophy in the 2008-09 season and can still be more than a serviceable backup to any team in the National Hockey League.

However, as is the question with Turco and Theodore, which teams need them?

Darroll Powe: Smash and Bang

This may come as a surprise to some of the readers, but this is an obvious personal piece I feel like sharing with the wonderful readers here at RLD.

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers and energetic forward Darroll Powe came to terms on a one-year deal to lock up the last player left in limbo with the organization. According to the ever amazing CapGeek.com, Powe's contract is a one-year deal which will pay him $725,000.

Yes, the Flyers had to trade Simon Gagne in order to alleviate the cap turmoil their team was involved in; but business is business.

Before the Gagne move, the team traded for Andrej Meszaros on July 1st, signed Jody Shelley, Sean O'Donnell and Nikolai Zherdev over the course of the off-season to date, re-signed Michael Leighton and Dan Carcillo, and found themselves in a difficult situation.

They were over the cap and needed to find a way to get under. The cap casualty was Gagne and Flyers fans went into a frenzy. Understandably since Gagne, aside from his injuries, was a heart and soul player with exceptional two-way play; always a threat to score when he was on the ice.

However, like mentioned above, business is business.

Back to Powe.

Darroll was a tryout signing by the organization back in 2007. Since that time he spent three seasons with the club's minor league affiliate from 2006-07 into 2008-09. During the 2008-09 season, Powe was called up to the big club and has been a part of it ever since.

In 123 games, Powe registered 26 points playing in strictly defensive and energy type roles.

Never brought in by the Flyers to be a scoring threat, at 5'11" tall and weighing 212 pounds, what Powe does on the ice is with a purpose.

He is, like Gagne was, a heart and soul player.

The energy he brings to each shift is outstanding; not scared to fight for the puck in the corners, and he hits what he targets.

Last season he averaged 12:05 of ice time per game. The average time on ice for a skater who plays third or fourth line minutes each night.

But it is the job on the ice and not the stat sheet where Powe makes his presence known. In this writer's opinion, it is just as important to be a key role player who knows their role and does their job as it is to be a top-line goal-scorer who scores goals.

A price tag can not be placed on a player like Powe. Of course, for salary reasons, he'll always have a number attached to his paychecks; but when it comes to his play, it can be debated to be priceless.

To me, every team needs a Darroll Powe.

Photo credit: Getty Images

All-Worst Contract Team

Between the free agent frenzy and controversy surrounding Ilya Kovalchuk’s new (yet rejected) pact, it had me thinking about the bad contracts around the NHL today. Here’s the 20 players I feel have the worst contracts – not necessarily the most overpaid – making up an active NHL roster (12 forwards, 6 defensemen, 2 goalies).

Forwards
Derek Boogaard, NY Rangers
Initial contract: 4 years, $6.5 million (starts in 2010-11)
Cap hit: $1.625 million
Remaining: 4 years
09/10 Stats: 57 GP, 4 Pts, -12, 105 PIM
Rangers GM Glen Sather continued his history of bad contracts by giving Boogaard a four-year deal.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Minnesota
Initial contract: 5 years, $20.4 million (started in 2008-09)
Cap hit: $4.08 million
Remaining: 3 years
08/09 Stats: 71 GP, 16 G, 30 A, 46 Pts, -5
Bouchard struggled the year after receiving this new contract, and missed 81 games last season due to injury.

Chris Drury, NY Rangers
Initial contract: 5 years, $35.25 million (2007-08)
**Cap hit: $7.05 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 77 GP, 14 G, 18 A, 32 Pts, -10
Drury’s presence on and off the ice can be valuable to every team in the NHL… but at a price of over $7 million a year? No thanks.

Martin Erat, Nashville
Initial contract: 7 years, $31.5 million (2008-09)
**Cap hit: $4.5 million
Remaining: 5 years
09/10 Stats: 74 GP, 21 G, 28 A, 49 Pts, -7
A ‘small-market’ team like Nashville can’t afford to overpay for players. Well, Erat falls under that category.

Scott Gomez, Montreal
Initial contract: 7 years, $51.5 million (2007-08 w/ NYR)
*Cap hit: $7.357143 million
Remaining: 4 years
09/10 Stats: 78 GP, 12 G, 47 A, 59 Pts, +1
Gomez is not a goal-scorer, but has a bigger cap hit than Joe Thornton. Yet another Sather signing that quickly became ugly.

Shawn Horcoff, Edmonton
Initial contract: 6 years, $33 million (2009-10)
**Cap hit: $5.5 million
Remaining: 5 years
09/10 Stats: 61 GP, 13 G, 23 A, 36 Pts, -29
Horcoff’s contract baffles me. A no-movement clause for a player that simply hasn’t been the same since 2006?? Geez!

Marian Hossa, Chicago
Initial contract: 12 years, $63.3 million (2009-10)
Cap hit: $5.275 million
Remaining: 11 years
09/10 Stats: 57 GP, 24 G, 27 A, 51 Pts, +24
Hossa’s a great player and was a key part to the Hawks’ Cup run. It’s the 12-year portion of his contract that lands him here.

Olli Jokinen, Calgary
Initial contract: 2 years, $6 million (2010-11)
*Cap hit: $3 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 82 GP, 15 G, 35 A, 50 Pts, +3
Jokinen received a two-year deal with a no-trade clause from the team that traded him in February. I still can’t figure this one out…

Ales Kotalik, Calgary
Initial contract: 3 years, $9 million (2009-10 w/ NYR)
*Cap hit: $3 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 71 GP, 11 G, 16 A, 27 Pts, -17
Guess who signed Kotalik? Yeah, that Sather guy again. Kotalik doesn’t fit in anywhere… except the KHL.

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay
Initial contract: 11 years, $85 million (2009-10)
**Cap hit: $7.727273 million
Remaining: 10 years
09/10 Stats: 82 GP, 24 G, 46 A, 70 Pts, -16
Captain Vinny’s production has dipped recently, will be making $10 million for the next 7 years, and has already been surpassed on the depth chart by Steven Stamkos.

David Legwand, Nashville
Initial contract: 6 years, $27 million (2008-09)
*Cap hit: $4.5 million
Remaining: 4 years
09/10 Stats: 82 GP, 11 G, 27 A, 38 Pts, -5
See Erat. Legwand is still a 20-goal scorer in the eyes of GM David Poile… but don’t tell Preds fans that.

Brian Rolston, New Jersey
Initial contract: 4 years, $20.25 million (2008-09)
*Cap hit: $5.0625 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 80 GP, 20 G, 17 A, 37 Pts, +2
Rolston is as old as his point total from last year… and is reeling in north of $5 million from the now-cap-strapped Devils.

Defensemen
Brian Campbell, Chicago
Initial contract: 8 years, $57.143 million (2008-09)
*Cap hit: $7.142875 million
Remaining: 6 years
09/10 Stats: 68 GP, 7 G, 31 A, 38 Pts, +18
‘Soupy’ is a quality defenseman in this league… but would you pay $7-plus mil to your number three or four blueliner? Me neither.

Jeff Finger, Toronto
Initial contract: 4 years, $14 million (2008-09)
Cap hit: $3.5 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 39 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 Pts, -11
The popular joke going around two years ago was that the Leafs gave their fans the finger.

Roman Hamrlik, Montreal
Initial contract: 4 years, $22 million (2007-08)
*Cap hit: $5.5 million
Remaining: 1 year
09/10 Stats: 75 GP, 6 G, 20 A, 26 Pts, -2
We all know Hamrlik is a consistent, solid defenseman; but again, $5.5 million? I think the Habs would like to use some of that money to bring in more offense.

Wade Redden, NY Rangers
Initial contract: 6 years, $39 million (2008-09)
*Cap hit: $6.5 million
Remaining: 4 years
09/10 Stats: 75 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 Pts, +8
I don’t have to explain myself, do I?

Cory Sarich, Calgary
Initial contract: 5 years, $18 million (2007-08)
Cap hit: $3.6 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 57 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 Pts, +4
Sarich was on the bubble for this roster. He’s a borderline second-pairing defenseman and received a five-year deal back in 2007.

Sheldon Souray, Edmonton
Initial contract: 5 years, $27 million (2007-08)
**Cap hit: $5.4 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 37 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 13 Pts, -19
Souray also has a no-movement clause, something then-GM Kevin Lowe probably wishes he didn’t hand out. Souray is virtually stuck in Edmonton…

Goaltenders
Rick DiPietro, NY Islanders
Initial contract: 15 years, $67.5 million (2006-07)
Cap hit: $4.5 million
Remaining: 11 years
09/10 Stats: 8 GP, 2-5-0, 2.60 GAA, .900 SV%
15 years at $4.5 million per. DiPietro has started 12 games in the last two years, and is still under contract for another decade. Case closed.

Cristobal Huet, Chicago
Initial contract: 4 years, $22.5 million (2008-09)
Cap hit: $5.625 million
Remaining: 2 years
09/10 Stats: 48 GP, 26-14-4, 2.50 GAA, .895 SV%
If GM Stan Bowman can’t find a sucker to take on Huet’s contract, the Blackhawks will be paying over $5 million for their AHL goaltender.

There you have it, hockey fans… any rebuttals?

*No-Trade Clause
**No-Movement Clause

All cap numbers via CapGeek.com
Photos credit: Getty Images

Top 5 Remaining Free Agents

Even though Ilya Kovalchuk’s lucrative contract has been rejected, it’s almost unanimous among people with knowledge of the situation that he’ll still be a New Jersey Devil. Now that the biggest fish on the market has finally come to a decision, we look at the five most ‘coveted’ free agents available as the dog days of summer hit us…

1. Alexander Frolov
I think we all know what Frolov is capable of doing on the ice. Here’s a guy that has posted two 30-goal seasons since the lockout, including a career-high 35 in 2006/07. However, his production dipped as the Kings got better as a team. 19 goals in a contract year for someone with his talent is a bit surprising, and may be a reason why he’s still unsigned (along with his contract demands). I think he can make a difference on a team sitting on the playoff bubble – if he can get his mind right and return to scoring 30 goals.
2. Lee Stempniak
The biggest question surrounding Stempniak is which player his new team will get: the one that underachieved in Toronto, the one that found his goal-scoring touch in Phoenix, or the one that disappeared come playoff time. Stempniak could be asking for too much at this time, yet could find a new home soon since Kovalchuk is off the board. Los Angeles seems like a logical destination for him, as they’d like to add a right winger that can pot 20-30 goals. I’d also keep an eye on the Islanders and Coyotes…
3. Maxim Afinogenov
Afinogenov seems to be keeping all of his options open, including the KHL (as expected). Earlier this summer it looked likely that he’d head to Russia, and I still believe that will be his destination. Even after having a stellar bounce-back season with Atlanta (61 points in 82 games), teams still think of his horrid last two years in Buffalo, and are leery of his injury history. Two possible fits are Pittsburgh and Washington, as he could play alongside fellow Russians, but would have to take a pay cut. In the end, I see him bolting overseas.
4. Willie Mitchell
When Mitchell went down to a concussion this January, you could definitely see the effect it had on the Canucks; Roberto Luongo’s GAA went up every month thereafter, and the team dearly missed his presence against Chicago in the second round. In the last two years, Mitchell has tallied a plus-42 rating, and has been on the right side of the plus/minus rating in nine of his ten seasons in the NHL. Assuming he’s able to recover from that concussion, the 33-year-old blueliner can be a nice steal this late in the summer.
5. Paul Kariya
A lot of people state Kariya is washed up and can hardly be effective anymore. Pardon my language, but bullshit! ‘PK’ struggled last year with the Blues, but everyone else on the team had a hard time repeating their miracle finish to make in the playoffs in 2009. Is Kariya still the player he was back in Anaheim and even Nashville? No. Can he still be an effective player, especially in the right situation? No doubt. Vancouver and Los Angeles are two ideal fits for Kariya, where he’d have a chance to win his first Stanley Cup.

Honorable Mention:
Eric Belanger
Denis Grebeshkov
Mike Modano
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Marty Turco

Photo credit: Getty Images

This Day In Hockey History (7/21)

Today is a special double shot on This Day.  First the actual hockey moment and then a special one.  I forgot this guy was actually put on waivers in his career.  Yikes.




I was told to think cold thoughts...also a special Happy Birthday to my mom who turns 65 today.

July 21, 1998

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Calgary Flames claimed veteran defenseman Phil Housley off waivers from the Washington Capitals.

Ilya Kovalchuk Presser

Here is the press conference from New Jersey yesterday, where they announced the re-signing of Ilya Kovalchuk. Little did they know that the contract would be rejected by the NHL just hours later...

Front-loaded contracts becoming too common

To follow up on Patrick’s post this morning, here is a list of 11 notable players who have such front-loaded contracts (beginning with the most recent)…

Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ… 17 years, $102 million
First 11 years: $98.5 million ($8.95M average)
Last 6 years: $3.5 million ($583K average)
Overall cap hit: $6 million

Duncan Keith, CHI… 13 years, $72 million
First 8 years: $57.75 million ($7.22M average)
Last 5 years: $14.25 million ($2.85M average)
Overall cap hit: $5.538462 million

Marc Savard, BOS… 7 years, $28.05 million
First 4 years: $25.5 million ($6.38M average)
Last 3 years: $2.55 million ($850K average)
Overall cap hit: $4.007143 million

Roberto Luongo, VAN… 12 years, $64 million
First 8 years: $57 million ($7.13M average)
Last 4 years: $7 million ($1.75M average)
Overall cap hit: $5.333333 million

Chris Pronger, PHI… 7 years, $34.45 million
First 4 years: $29.4 million ($7.35M average)
Last 3 years: $5.05 million ($1.68M average)
Overall cap hit: $4.921429 million

Marian Hossa, CHI… 12 years, $63.3 million
First 8 years: $59.3 million ($7.41M average)
Last 4 years: $4 million ($1M average)
Overall cap hit: $5.275 million

Vincent Lecavalier, TB… 11 years, $85 million
First 8 years: $78.5 million ($9.81M average)
Last 3 years: $6.5 million ($2.17M average)
Overall cap hit: $7.727273 million

Johan Franzen, DET… 11 years, $43.5 million
First 7 years: $36 million ($5.14M average)
Last 4 years: $7.5 million ($1.88M average)
Overall cap hit: $3.954545 million

Henrik Zetterberg, DET… 12 years, $73 million
First 9 years: $67.65 million ($7.52M average)
Last 3 years: $5.35 million ($1.78M average)
Overall cap hit: $6.083333 million

Scott Gomez, MTL (signed w/ NYR)… 7 years, $51.5 million
First 5 years: $44 million ($8.8M average)
Last 2 years: $7.5 million ($3.25M average)
Overall cap hit: $7.357143 million

Daniel Briere, PHI… 8 years, $52 million
First 6 years: $47 million ($7.83M average)
Last 2 years: $5 million ($2.5M average)
Overall cap hit: $6.5 million

Everyone talks about how Detroit GM Ken Holland was the ‘innovator’ of these front-loaded contracts that are now getting dished way too often. While he may have made them more of a regular thing for others around the league, it was the summer of 2007 when the ball really started rolling here.

Buffalo was in a bidding war with the Flyers for the services of Danny Briere. If my memory serves correct, they were both offering similar contracts – cap hit-wise – to the one Briere received ($52 million over 8 years).

But Philadelphia was able to include something in that pact that Buffalo simply could not: (much) more money in the early years of the deal.

Briere made $26 million in the first three years of his contract, a direction that the ‘small-market’ Sabres couldn’t go in. That’s when the NHL lost its competitive balance within the salary cap (to use Dirk Hoag’s term from On The Forecheck).

Tampa Bay is the only ‘small-market’ team to use this front-loaded option, and that was to lock up Captain Vincent Lecavalier on an 11-year deal (as seen above).

Ilya Kovalchuk’s deal with the Devils – reportedly $102 million over 17 years – makes this even more of a mockery. For the next 11 years, Kovalchuk will make more than every other NHLer not named Alex Ovechkin. For the last six years, you ask? That’s Wade Belak money, and Kovy may not even be playing when those years roll around.

We can debate it all day whether he deserves that kind of coin… but the fact that Devils GM Lou Lamoriello signed Kovalchuk, 27, at a much-reduced cap hit until he’s 44 shows that too many general managers are taking advantage of this loophole.

I know Dirk mentioned the ‘competitive balance’ in the piece I linked to, but it can’t be reiterated enough: these contracts need to be removed from the NHL when the next CBA is negotiated.

When the league implemented the salary cap after the lockout, it was supposed to give all 30 teams a realistic shot at free agents. Just look at some of the moves that transpired in 2005; then-stars Paul Kariya and Adam Foote found new homes in Nashville and Columbus, respectively, while future Hall of Fame blueliner Scott Niedermayer jetted for Anaheim.

Now you have the stars signing in the big markets where they can offer more money – especially in the initial years.

(Another part of this equation is the steady climb of the salary cap ceiling, which has enabled the teams that spend to that ceiling to reel in the bigger free agents, while the smaller-market teams have to stay near the floor.)

Whether it’s Holland or any other general manager handing out these contracts that circumvent the cap, this is something that must be taken out of the NHL. I don't really mind the deals that go over ten years; that's the team's decision to keep a player that long. But when you make these contracts go over a decade long just to work around the cap is borderline absurd. I mean, just look at the layout of Kovalchuk’s contract. Ridiculous.