MacK_Attack

Likely, it was said that Sundin received up to 20 legit offers on July 1st. However, it seems that Sundin will play in Canada if he plays at all.

I exchange e-mails with Curtis Joseph fairly frequently. Got to know him pretty good during his first run in Toronto.

Toronto doesn't really want him back. They have to show interest because he's been their heart and soul and it's good for PR, but they want to compete for the 1st overall pick, and Sundin won't allow them to do that, especially since he won't agree to a trade. Sundin told Henrik Lundqvist last year that he was already done playing for Sweden, regardless of his NHL status.

Ding ding ding! Tell 'em what he's won, Johnny.... But really, what Cliff wants to do is pull off a huge blockbuster trade when he moves Kubina and/or McCabe and this allows him flexibility to throw a forward or two (Ponikarovsky, Antropov, etc.) in the trade package.

NHLPA is going to fight for him, he'll still get signed one way or another. He's only being depended on as a #6/7 kind of guy.

TSN reports that Sergei Fedorov has informed the Washington Capitals that he will re-sign with the club, despite interest from Russian teams. Terms are not known at this time.

Problem is that few GMs/coaches have the job security to go with a "win tomorrow" type of mentality. Those guys constantly feel the pressure to start pulling out "W's" immediately.

St. Louis matched the Backes offer sheet.

Now they've added Brandon Bochenski for even more forward depth.

TSN: Canucks match.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242841&amp...os=secStory_nhl

McCabe's contract is only $750k more per year than Kubina. Given what defencemen make nowadays, McCabe's contract does not seem nearly as bad as it once did. Only the no-movement clause still has odour to it. McCabe wants to be out of Toronto, it's just a stupid game of chicken between him and Fletcher right now to see who blinks first. But, as far as I know, the plan right now is to make McCabe a healthy scratch until he agrees to leave a team and city that does not want him.

Jason Smith is a UFA, so Tampa wouldn't have to trade for him. Yeah, I don't think Kubina's value will get any better than it is right now, so I'm all for moving him. Fletcher has said that all offers for Kubina so far have been low-balls. Kubina played very, very well down the stretch last year, and upped his value in a big way. Obviously, McCabe is the prime target to run out of town right now, but I don't think Fletch will move Kubina unless he gets an offer that is really good. They have until August 15th to trade Kubina, but even after that, I can't see him not wanting to go back to Tampa Bay. He's always said the hardest thing he ever did in his career was leave Tampa Bay.

I'd have to think the plan all along was to add one more defenceman via trade, and maybe one via free agency (I'd think Jason Smith is a target).

I could see them trying to get Kubina back, since Feaster never wanted to lose him in the first place.

Good move to surround Stamkos with more respected veterans.

2 years, $1.2 million per year. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242603&lid...s=headlines_nhl

Nikolai Kulemin is going to get first-line time in Toronto.

According to TSN, the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Miroslav Satan & Ruslan Fedotenko to one-year deals.

The cap hit for the extension kicks in when the previous contract ends. Although, Group II's who sign a one-year deal (essentially, who sign their qualifying offer or go to arbitration) can't be negotiated with for a new contract until January 1st.

I'm pretty excited for Stralman this year. It took him 3/4's of the season to really find his confidence at the NHL level, but he was really solid near the end of the season. He's so smooth with the puck and has great moves going end-to-end. Colaiacovo could be really good if he wasn't cursed. White's pretty 'meh', wouldn't be surprised to see him moved, just to make room. But obviously, McCabe is the target. They want him gone in the worst way. I think that's all they got him for, just to be a decent 7th defenceman.

Apparently they found this guy when scouting Brunnstrom. Anyways, they expect him to be on the NHL roster, further making sure that there's no room for Bryan McCabe.

Sportsnet/Canadian Press report that Markus Naslund has signed with the New York Rangers. Two years, no financial details available yet. Rangers also signed Dmitri Kalinin.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242393&amp...os=secStory_nhl

An article in today's Ottawa Sun stated that the Senators weren't getting far in negotiations with RFA's Antoine Vermette and Andrej Meszaros. In fact, the Sens are anticipating that both with sign offer sheets at some point, with Columbus, Vancouver & Atlanta the suspected teams sniffing around. Vermette is arbitration-eligible but has yet to file and likely won't. The Sens have $44.37 million committed right now, but aren't a team that will spend to the limit, as they had a self-imposed cap last season of $48 million. The breakdown for offer sheet compensation for this year is as follows: $863,156 or less - No Compensation $863,156 - $1,307,811 - 3rd round pick $1,307,811 - $2,615,623 - 2nd round pick $2,615,623 - $3,923,434 - 1st and 3rd round pick $3,923,434 - $5,231,246 - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick $5,231,246 - $6,539,061 - Two 1st's, one 2nd, one 3rd round pick $6,539,061 or more - Four 1st round picks