stevkrause

I will be boycotting live games for at least 2 years and will not buy NHL merchandise either.

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="rrasco" data-cid="2338384" data-time="1357614915"><p> Interesting...<br /> <br /> </p></blockquote> There was never any doubt unless we lost a full season... I'm genuinely concerned, however, that his next contract will be in the KHL and that will be the last we see of his awesomeness

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Crymson" data-cid="2338405" data-time="1357623375"><p> As was the case with the Kings and Doughty, the Senators and Karlsson, and so on, the Blues can shield Pietrangelo from offer sheets by simply taking him to arbitration. In other words, this isn't going to happen.</p></blockquote> Ding. Ding. Ding.

All of you proposing, or suggesting, Franzen be bought out have lost your damn minds. He STILL scored 29 goals last year and led the team, on a down year, AND his cap hit is less than 4m a year... Take a look around the league at comparable contracts... Kenny would be certifiably INSANE to buy out his contract and just give him a TON of money to NOT play here... this isn't just cap space, this is real money and this is still a business... Furthermore, I GUARANTEE teams would trade for him, if for nothing more that a low draft pick (and even that is an insane suggestion) if we truly just wanted him gone, so why in the hell would we buy him out?!? Suggestions like this really make me think some people on this board have been enjoying recreational drugs WAYYYY too much...

What the hell... Bertuzzi-Datsyuk-Franzen Filppula-Zetterberg-Brunner Cleary-Helm-Samuelsson Miller-Abdelkader-Tootoo Eaves Mursak Kronwall-Ericsson Quincey-White Coliacovo-Smith Kindl Howard Gustavsson I'd rather we never signed Sammy and gave Gus a real look, but it is what it is... I wouldn't want him toiling away on the bottom 6, or on the bench, I'd rather him get more quality minutes in GR and called up when there are injuries... Also, that D looks ugly EDIT- just realized I doubled up Helm originally

About time... too bad the damage this did is likely irreversible...

I would imagine we would see big contract players traded as part of a package deal, with the idea that the absorbing club of the contract would buy them out. For example (once again, not suggesting this, just using it as an example) Detroit trades Kindl to Buffalo for Leino and a 1st rd pick OR highly rated prospect OR decent roster player, then Detroit buys out Leino, so the higher draft pick would be kind of be the pay out for Detroit eating the money of Leino, as opposed to Kindl for, say a 3rd rd pick, straight up....

The real question will be, is there going to be protection in the clause to prevent back room deals from being made, essentially circumventing the cap? For example (not suggesting this, just using it as an example) Detroit buys out Datsyuk, giving him full money of contact, then re-signs him to 6 year deal at 1m a year as a "home-town discount" If that is possible, THEN I could see a LOT of big market teams, "buying out" big ticket players to "get under the cap"

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="rick zombo" data-cid="2337536" data-time="1357266650"><p> <blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="stevkrause" data-cid="2337527" data-time="1357262563"><p><br /> Some of these suggestions are clear indications that a LOT of posters here live in make believe world... No team eats a MASSIVE amount of money, JUST to get under the cap, wastes their buyout on a guy who has an expiring contact before the cap goes down, or a guy that has a modest contract... the only obvious ones are Gomez, Thomas or DiPietro (if he were on a normal team, but it's the NYI, so they'll probably give him a bonus)<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Honorable mention to Leino, Redden, Jagr...</p></blockquote><br /> <br /> How does a team with 68M on the books get down to 60M without buying out one massive contract or two modest ones. Not trying to be argumentative, just wondering what your thoughts are on this.</p></blockquote> I should have been clearer when I said massive contact... I meant total dollars owed, not just per year, a guy with a shorter deal of big money is a perfect option, not a guy with 6+ years left, as that's real money paid to make a guy go away... As for modest deals, I'm referring to the 2m or less guys... You buy a guy like that out just because you don't want him anymore, not for cap relief... So the Eaves, Emmerton, etc suggestions are ridiculous, and that's aside from the LTIR restrictions...

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="F.Michael" data-cid="2337533" data-time="1357266210"><p> So - outta curiosity - which suggestions are in the "make believe world"?</p></blockquote> Franzen - relatively small hit for 30+ goal scorer, PLUS the fact it's a massive amount of money out of pocket, real money, not just cap hit, to make said 30+ goal scorer go away Hossa - see Franzen reasons Penner - contract expires before cap goes down AND he would likely take less to stay in LA, coming of a very solid playoff Luongo, Bryzgalov, Carter and Ehrhoff would all be a TON of money to just eat, REAL money, and all would likely be traded before bought out... Also, Break up Carter and Richards and they don't perform (they may die of coke od together, but that's a separate topic), and as for Bryz, they traded a bit to get his rights, then gave him a big deal, I'm sure they're not willing to eat that, at least not while they have the same GM...

Some of these suggestions are clear indications that a LOT of posters here live in make believe world... No team eats a MASSIVE amount of money, JUST to get under the cap, wastes their buyout on a guy who has an expiring contact before the cap goes down, or a guy that has a modest contract... the only obvious ones are Gomez, Thomas or DiPietro (if he were on a normal team, but it's the NYI, so they'll probably give him a bonus) Honorable mention to Leino, Redden, Jagr...

If a multi-billionaire (or group) had the foresight/balls to do it, the NHL could be toppled right now... All it would take, would be a competing league to start up in major cities (Det, Tor, Chi, NY, Phi, Mtl, etc, etc, etc), bring in some big names, market the hell out of it and we would look back on the NHL like we do the ABA, AFL, etc... I don't think the league will ever fully recover from this one and I fully expect to see contraction of the league occur in the next few years...

The real question is, where was the podium during all this?

I'll also go with the list minus tough guys disclaimer. With that said: Pavel Bure Scott Stevens Cam Neely Ray Bourque Mats Sundin Joe Juneau Al MacInnis Al Iafrate Teemu Selanne just to name a few...

If I were going to play anywhere, other than stay back and train, it'd be Sweden

He might even be coming for their jobs

I've said all along, this kid is the real deal... Glad to see him getting his chance...

Just as the topic states - would you make that trade?

I also have no faith in the league- November 25th, at 3:04pm EST... in 2013

He heavily eludes to it without saying the exact words (probably to avoid a fine) I think this quote speaks volumes - http://www.mlive.com...ng_anticip.html

4 step plan proposal: 1. Fire Bettman 2. Hire a real commissioner who has the balls to stand up to the owners and do what's best for the league 3. Change the bulls*** BOG ruling back to a majority vote system by the owners instead of only needing 8 teams to pass, and disallow league owned teams from voting 4. Let the rest sort itself out once the cancer is removed Put this in place and we'll be playing hockey again by mid November...

Dead on. Anyone who doesn't realize this has blinders on.

Flat out, anyone who uses the "Bettman is doing what the owners want and working for them" defense of him is just proving the point of why he should be removed. A GOOD commissioner of any league does what is the best for the league and makes the hard stances AGAINST the owners when need be, they do not just give the spoiled brats whatever they want, whenever they want and be a yes man. A commissioner works for the league, not the owners. Bettman is a spineless yes man that bends over at all of the bog's whims and never tells them no, even when it's what is best for the LEAGUE. More games lost than ALL of the other 3 major sports combined under Bettman's watch... Tell me again how he is doing a good job... The NHL needs a leader and a visionary, not a spineless weasel that won't stand up to the owners in the best interest of the league when he needs to... and to put it quite bluntly, if you disagree with this post, then you are beyond logic and not worth debating with anyway.

I'll take second shift Wednesday's for leftwinger suicide watch