frankgrimes

Would have prefered a 1,5 cap hit but other than that I am happy he is finally staying.

Laughing out loud I think so too. Wonder why NBC hasn't put some pressure into getting a FAIR deal done? They've paid the NHL millions of $ and yet they aren't getting anything out of it t his season.

Not even slightly surprising, league can go eff itself.

Depth signing nothing more, nothing less.

I really believe a rival league with a commissioner owners and players can appreciate would take over the NHL for one simple reason, players are as fed up as fans and top stars would be joining in no time, leaving the NHL with expansion teams while the top teams are moving to a not so wellfare league. Nice way to circumvent the cap floor this is so ridiculous, a team without an owner can sign such deals but oh noes the NHL is sooo poor? right god ****

I am still a bit disappointed to see that Illitch voted yes. This was his chance to finally can this atrocious person and now they support him and his failed idea of expansion. Having said that I fully understand, why players like Z, Crosby and Morrison are speaking up. For years the only thing they've heard how everything is fine, record after record and now all of a sudden things are bad and need to be fixed? Screw that and even knowing that they are willing to give and did put in a good proposal, yet the NHL didn't even look at it. I can understand when some guys or girls are saying both are to blame maybe, but the big junk of blame has to go to the owners here: 1. for keeping a failed dwarf 2. not seeing the big picture and the big picture is, that some teams can't even survive with revenue-sharing, because they are playing it cheap and using money from guys like Sneider, Mr. I and MLSE to give out ridiculous contracts. Just contract the league by 4 to 5 teams, relocate some of the sunshine teams and you are going to end up with a healthier league, where we can finally get rid off the cap and have a luxury tax system, win win. When was the last time we have seen an original 6 stanley cup final?! Right, not since a long long time but yet all these teams are the backbone of this league. The players know, they can't bulk this time because this would mean a serious damage to the NHLPA and shifting too much powers to the owners and that overpaid a**h***. Personally I also can't stand the fact how both parties are always using MLB, NFL and NBA as example who cares what they are doing? This is hockey a differen t sport. In a few hours we are all going to be very pissed and I for one hope the NHL won't recover from that, they need to learn a lesson. Maybe the Perfect Human knew what was up and decided to hang em up, I feel sorry for Teemu too....The dwarf has cost us tons of games from allstar-players and sadfully the list is growing every year this guy is allowed to ru(i)n the league.

So trying to start a flame-war resulting in maybe warning-points is all you "pro-owner" people can do? Sorry I won't bite ;-) Well I'd rather use a great quality product instead of the limited, cheap produced, spy-crap and under bad working-conditions built I crap version X - so thanks but your advise isn't needed here I know a good phone, when I see it some people aren't just marketing-victims too bad ey? Provide me a reasonable point why I should side with a bunch of billionaires who can't control themselves and a dwarf refusing to call his expansions-teams what they are, a big failure! - record revenues for the last 7 years - owners giving out these massive-contracts players are just signing them - if teams are losing money (show the real numbers first) on top of revenue sharing - recocate them problem solved - if teams are giving out contracts they can't afford - tough luck think about it twice next time Ah yeah poor old Nashville getting bullied by a team offering Shea what he is worth on an open market instead of lowballing him?! Poile had around 2,5 years to get a fair deal for both sides done he didn't, Holmer said "screw this we are forcing your hand now and Weber accepted. Yes, I do have a a hard hatred for Bettman so what? The guy is soon responsible for 3 lockouts, created team in absolute undeserving markets, takes fans for granted and would love a little dwarf world where all teams are having a salary like his BFF club and of course no NHLPA or any player rights at all. So forgive me for hating that stupid midget making 8.000.000 a year, NOT. Like Fehr said what is there for the players in the NHL offer? 24 % Salary Reduction, 10 years till UFA, no arbitration rights, 5 years ELC - thats even worse than last time Something the pro-owner side should at some point get into their heads: IF the NHLPA would have proposed the same stubborn crap, we would have: 70/30 split, 5 years till UFA, 2 years ELC, removing of the minimum age for NMC NTC clauses and on top of it no cap world...but they didn't they were willing to move the process forward the owners not so much just like Sid and Fehr pointed out. So unless you are coming back to me with some reasonable non insulting arguements don't even bother responding, because I won't take part in a flame-war with a heavily pro-owners guy.

Well the players have no need to why should they? Despite they were willing to give up a huge junk of the cake. Bettman wants an enormous piece so he can continue to babysit his failed expansion teams with money instead of giving (back) to better markets such as Hamilton, QC or Seattle. Owners are just nutts! The ones who cried foul are also the owners with the high profile UFA signings but yeah let's blame the players for accepting *our* huge offer? Idiots! The players simply can't cave this time because I am sure they are seeing a turning wheel here. This is the only freaking pro sports league where you can get 3 lockouts and be rewarded with a 8.000.000 $ paycheque annualy, disgraceful. Sent from my BlackBerry

I really don't want to come off bad here but if Shea wanted out he would have *never* signed this deal. Basically if a player - in this case Weber - wants out quietly, they are using other tacticsy, ie Carter or Rick Nash. Shea wanted a fair deal for what he is, Nashville Predators didn't offer that so he forced their hand. At this point he would have told his agent(s) to tell Poile don't match it because our client wants out and you don't want an unhappy player in your locker room. In terms of NTC NMC they really screwed up as an agent your job is to know the details of CBA rules. I am sure the non inclusion of such an *id matched* caught him by surprise. Which is fine because it's the agents job to get a hold on such things. There is a reason why NPS is considered the best players agency so far...Titan Sports has long ways to go and they didn't help themselves with this. Weber *is* their star client and they should have done everything to get him a perfect deal. Yes TS succeeded moneywise but in terms of clause not so much. Anyway Shea has 110 million reasons to forget it *but* his future *is* now controlled by the Predators. Sent from my BlackBerry

The NHL created this with their first offler if their last one would have been the starting one things might have gone different. Sent from my BlackBerry

Kronner and White BETTER than the perfect human and White? No way, neither Kronner nor White are a top pairing both are very good choice for your second pairing. This team will also have to change the style of playing. Coli is a depth signing nothing more Monster and Howie will face tons of rubber asa season starts. Sent from my BlackBerry

Haha this stupid dwarf is out of words, sounds like an angry weasel.

Fehr is presenting a really good idea on what the NHL offer was about.

I'd recommend watching the tsn show it is really good coverage and facts provided by the three best hockey insiders Lebrum, McKenzie and Dreger.

So no Big Mac, John Scott or Milan Lucic for Vityaz?

I think this player is as fed up with the BS dwarfish commissioner as everyone else and maybe just maybe he has to pay some bills, family and you know like to be able to pay them? Guys like us are playing hockey for fun, enjoyment these guys are professional athletes hockey is their job. Thinking the fact that some players are going hardball is a good sign, last timel they gave too much they won't do so again and even the dumbest owner should know a league without all the stars will never be the same.

Can this ****** dwarf 3 lockout in a row - yes I said it - is unacceptable can his ass once and for all. The league is healthy as its ever been this should have been the easiest CBA negotiations ever!

Its probably easier to name defense cores I'd rank under ours, because going from 1 - 24 teams would be a nightmare. Probably around 25, while I love Kronner he is not a top pairing guy in my mind just like White though very good for our second pairing. Basically this team is short of a real top pairing which can't be fixed with the remaining options so either screw it, go with the young-guns or bring in some stopgaps.

Seabrook next Chicago? Thanks your detroit Red Wings

Chiarelli is one heck of a gm, this contract is going to be a steal in the not so far future. I'd rank him alongside Kenny and Shero easily.

Good point. I mean you don't have to look further than Nashville, they aare a small market team but are doing quiete well in fact they are doing so well they can pay 27 million for one season to mr. Weber. So the system can't be as broken as the dwarf is thinking. Florida on the other hand has been spending crazy money to average at best players just to reach the cap floor, so again they can't cry foul. My biggest beef with this whole t hing is how the NHL is trying to portray the PA as the bad guys here, when in fact the owners are the ones who can't control themselves. It really is an idea I have been thinking since the whole process started and the NHL proposed their insulting offer. Definately something the PA should be shooting for like Ok you want us to give back again? Fine, we are going from 57 to 55 (just a number), increase UFA by 1 year but you need to replace the commissioner we are not going to fourth lockout with this guy. Deal?`ok lets sign :-)

He hasn't signed yet because of the whole NTC NMC thing.

Best article I've been reading on the whole story kudos to Bob and well worth the long read. For me it is still easy to side with the players, they are the guys giving their all each day/night, sacrifising their health for our entertainment. Nobody is forcing the lesser franchises to give out such huge contracts if they do and are getting into trouble for it, it is their own problem. The NHL failed not one but two times to fix the Phoenix situation because the dwarf is a stubborn idiot. The only thing I didn't like in his article was how he mentioned the NBA/NFL - two total different leagues - but only one time the MLB which is in fact way more comparable to the NHL than the other two leagues. At this point I am more than sure we'll have another lockout thanks to the NHL and their stupid expansion into questionable markets and insulting starting-offer. Some owners are just a bunch of greedy liars crying poor on one side but giving out contracts which they fully know are too much for them. And then they are going to the dwarf calling for more revenue sharing and salary rollbacks. The truth is they want to cry poor, spend as less as possible but still be competitive on a nightly basis which just is paradox. I'd rather have a 5, 10 or 15 teams league instead of an overblown NHL in questionable markets.

God I wanna cry, someone lend me 2,9 million please? It is a gorgeaus piece of work, it reminds of Nick: A classy guy without the stupid "hey look how cool and rich I am" attitude. Can you imagine how his house in Sweden will look like? I know it is not a castle but seriously it is better and so well crafted looking at this hell I think my parents could put our house in their easily and it still would have enough room left. Can't believe it sold after just some days, the buyer must be one very rich person.

I've tried to use the search-function but couldn't find anything matching. We have the boring offseason and maybe another lockout looming so I've decided to take a look at all NHL websites and I must say, I am not impressed with our one. Doesn't look that bad but save for red/white and different background-images the page is looking exactly like all the others. I mean just LGW the site is looking fantastic, clean, simple and yet very modern why can't the site of an O 6 franchise look as good? Please note, not that I am saying it should be filled with flash animations, super gfx effects just a bit more modern while resembling while also having reference to the great history of HockeyTown. Why not hire some coders and designers to create a great looking one. Mr. I should give you a call Matt :-)