NHL '11 - '12 Thread

[Ahbroody]

I am not really excited about the Sharks going after Nash. He strikes me as another Marleau who will just be happy to win in the regular season enjoy the weather but not a guy who will give everything in the playoffs. Who knows?

Haven't logged in for about 2 weeks. Figure I better add my here, at least.

July 4th was a WONDERFUL day! Got home from a 40 mile trining ride to my wife telling me that Suter signed. I go to look on my phone and she tells me Parise signed, too. I was surprised, elated, and felt the hair raise on my arms. Signing them was HUGE for the franchise. It re-energized one of the most passionate fanbases in the NHL. When you can get 10,000 and more to show up for a high school championship game, you know your state has a love affair with hockey.

As for the signings and the money, I think that most Wild fans are OK with it. You look at how the contracts are structured, and you see that they're very frontloaded, with HUGH signing bonuses due for the first 2 years. What that does is foce them to develop their youngsters, something that they were planning on doing, anyways. We (Wild fans) have known that they have a stockpile of talent coming up in the next couple years. Some of them include Granlund, Brodin, Bullmer, Zucker, Gustafson, Coyle, etc. I've read that they have 7 of the top 49 prospects in their system. The frontloaded deals allow them to bring those guys up and develop them as a team, and then have the flexibility to resign them to larger deals when their rookie contracts are up. The fanbase was excited about all these young guys even before signing Suter and Parise. They add instant depth, and make the Wild relevant in the league. Remember that they were leading the league in December last season when a rash of injuries derailed their season. They'll have a top front line that will be able to score with anyone in the league, and a solid second line. Their D may be a bit suspect, but even with a lack of depth back there last year, they were reasonably solid, so I'm not too worried about that. But this move wasn't about this next year or the year after. This was about the next 5-8 years, with both Suter and Parise being just 27. I see big things on the horizon for this team after these signings.

I'm glad some friends of ours asked us to split their season tickets with them. The X will be rocking for the next few years, I hope.

And as Parise is a Fighting Sioux, of course we had to go get jerseys on Thursday. He he.

[357]

I'm pretty sure Homer is retiring. At least I hope so. Can't hold a roster spot for a PP specialist who will play 8 min/game. His skating ability has lacked for years. Now it's a huge liability.

Concerning free agency, you might be right. The Wings might be in a position where they don't want to get locked into a really bad contract just to fill a roster spot. Is Doan worth $30+ million for 4 years at 35? No. I'd like to see him come here but that's reportedly what an Easter conf team has offered him. I hope the Wings don't throw that kind of money at him. I'd rather wait and see who else we can get in FA or via trade. If no major moves then maybe they will struggle for a year or two and pick in the middle of the 1st round for the first time in 20 years.

Sounds like the Flyers offered Weber 14 years for ~$100 million. Will Nashville match or let him walk and take the 4 first round picks. Would be tough for Nashville to lose their entire top blue line, I imagine.

[icehog3]

I don't see how the Preds can not match the offer sheet, I think their fans will freak if they do not.

[Fredo456]

Originally Posted by Wanger

Sounds like the Flyers offered Weber 14 years for ~$100 million. Will Nashville match or let him walk and take the 4 first round picks. Would be tough for Nashville to lose their entire top blue line, I imagine.

The amount is said to be 110 M$, so it would be 7.85 M$ per year, about the same as his previous salary (7,5 M$). It would only yield a compensation of two 1st round picks, a 2nd and a 3rd.

Originally Posted by icehog3

I don't see how the Preds can not match the offer sheet, I think their fans will freak if they do not.

My first reaction was "they can't afford it", now I'm rather thinking "they can't afford not to".

OTOH, even with Weber on board, they can't carry this team just Rinne and him. There doesn't seem to be much prospect wise, and there is nothing left on the team, either on defense or up front (they don't have a first line).

I think they're doomed, short term, wether they match the offer sheet or not. If they don't, there's no guarantee they'll be able to draft worthwhile prospects with the compensation.

[Partagaspete]

Originally Posted by Fredo456

The amount is said to be 110 M$, so it would be 7.85 M$ per year, about the same as his previous salary (7,5 M$). It would only yield a compensation of two 1st round picks, a 2nd and a 3rd.



My first reaction was "they can't afford it", now I'm rather thinking "they can't afford not to".

OTOH, even with Weber on board, they can't carry this team just Rinne and him. There doesn't seem to be much prospect wise, and there is nothing left on the team, either on defense or up front (they don't have a first line).

I think they're doomed, short term, wether they match the offer sheet or not. If they don't, there's no guarantee they'll be able to draft worthwhile prospects with the compensation.

Philly was ver, very Savvy in how they are structuring the contract. The preds are worth around 160 Mil. Shea's contract for the first year would be 27 Mil for one player. I don't think the preds can afford that.

I think it is a bad deal all around unless the Flyers are looking to do a sign and trade...

on the other side I do feel the Preds days are numbered as an org.

[Fredo456]

Originally Posted by Partagaspete

I think it is a bad deal all around unless the Flyers are looking to do a sign and trade...

What do you mean? There's no upside in sacrificing draft picks to sign Weber just to trade him to somebody else.

Unless I misunderstood you...

[Ahbroody]

Going to be interesting. If they don't lock him up the team is now a goalie and fans will be destroyed and I imagine attendance will drop. What is interesting is the Philly Pronger deal and I think the over 4 mill per year they are on the hook for until 2016 if he retires. Is it more then that?

Funny I know atleast one team in desperate need that was going to make a big push for him next year based on what fans were writing. Next years big free agent is already going to get locked up it appears.

[Fredo456]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

What is interesting is the Philly Pronger deal and I think the over 4 mill per year they are on the hook for until 2016 if he retires. Is it more then that?

His salary is $4,921,429 until the end of the 2016-17 season. By then, he'll be 42 years old and obviously not playing anymore. Even if he retires, he'll remain on the payroll and count towards the cap, because his contract is a 35+ (years old at the time of signing).

[Ahbroody]

Nash goes to the East on Rangers.

Who's left Semin and Doan? Wonder if Canucks are shopping Luongo.

[icehog3]

Rangers just got a whole lot better.

I don't think many teams will take on Luongo's contract. Maybe Tallon in Florida?

My guess is Doan stays in AZ if he can get some assurance that the team's sale will go through, and I can see Semin going KHL.

[Bigwaved]

They got Nash for a pick and those three? Wow...that Howson dude in Columbus may not survive that one.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Bigwaved

They got Nash for a pick and those three? Wow...that Howson dude in Columbus may not survive that one.

The Jackets as a franchise may not....

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by icehog3

The Jackets as a franchise may not....

It is possible.

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by icehog3

The Jackets as a franchise may not....

I don't even care anymore.

[Stogeyfish]

The Stanley Cup is coming to my work on Wednesday! Woo Hoo!

We can touch it but aren't allowed to lift it off the table.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Eleven

I don't even care anymore.

If I was a CBJ fan, I wouldn't either....terrible, terrible trade.

[icehog3]

Preds matched Philly's offer sheet to Shea Weber.

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Preds matched Philly's offer sheet to Shea Weber.