StevieY9802

True but after 09 is when the trouble would come in. If they signed a big name like Smyth to a 5-6 mil deal, and he's not going to take just a 2 year deal most likely, and already had Dats at 6.7 and then Hank would probably be getting about the same thats a lot of money tied up in 3 guys. Thats what people forget, not saying you did, but you have to plan for the future with a cap now.

Yeah he got the 28 mil up front but I'm sure they felt that was ok since they won the cup. And his base salary was 2 mil a year for the following 5 years. Not bad for what he did. It was probably better that they did get to the conference finals and had to pay him that because I believe the rest of that money would have been spread out over the length of the contract am I correct?

Its probably not going to happen. it would be nice but with the money that Hartnell got Smyth is going to be getting much more than I thought he would. If teams wanna be stupid they can be my guest. Bertuzzi seems more likely because he won't cost nearly as much. If they sign him there will be all kinds of bonuses in his contract.

He has every right to retire and wouldn't be surprised if he did but wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. But like Scott Stevens said he's done everything. Why wouldn't it be good to step away after cup #4, a conn smythe and winning a cup with your brother? What a blow it would be if they lost him and Selanne.

Yes.

I wouldn't put the Preds selling off just yet. These guys weren't going to re-sign anyways so.... but whatever. The biggest surprise is the salaries they got and the length of the deals. Over 10 mil per for these two guys is a lot. As for the Wings I don't see the appeal of Kozzie so much. Everyone for the last few years has said the Wings need to be bigger and tougher and then so many people want them to sign Kozzie back at 35 years old? I like the guy but I just don't know about that one.

yes sorry thats what I meant.

The team didn't perform well in the finals but it was the best year they have ever had. And maybe they would have done better if not for the 9 days off or whatever. They were on a roll. Like the Tigers last year in the playoffs. If they would have had 3 days off in between the series maybe they win. You don't know for sure but its possible. Like someone said if Muckler was getting fired he should have been fired when this team wasn't performing a few years ago. Like someone said if anyone should be fired it should be Murry but I don't think even he should. Maybe this team just wasn't quite there yet. It would have been like the Wings firing Jimmy D after 95. Can't get out of round one but when you get to the finals you're fired.

He does the Panthers tv games as well.

If I was Stader, if Daniel left for good if he went to HNIC, which I doubt he would, I wouldn't come back. He's in Fla calling Panthers games. Granted its the Panthers but you're in Miami and that would be hard for me to leave. Especially since you know Mickey won't be around forever.

I agree. You can't prove anything in one year. Here in Detroit he was put into an impossible situation. Following Bowman and then trying to have to go from being the good cop assistant to the bad cop when he had to take ice time from you. In Boston he could start off as the head coah and not have to worry about that. And again you need more than one year. He said he knew what this team needed and where to go from here. And it sucks when a team doens't give the guy a chance to try. A lot of people in pro-sports just don't have patience and want instant gratification. Sorry Dave I hope you get back into coaching somehow, even as an assistant.

I don't like that idea either. That would be the last possible thing I would do. 1, 2, 4, 7 and 10 are mine. Who would replace Bettman? I don' t know. I sure don't like the idea I read on, I think it was TSN, that Brian Burke could be GM one day if he wanted. Then every time a big canadian hit a guy from behind its because he was big, the other guy was small, and the big guy was canadian. 2 and 10 go together. Get on TV in the US more and market these guys. The NHL guys are blue color type guys for the most part. There not like the NBA and NFL guys who go out and get arrested for feeling up strippers or carrying guns. They all say thank you after an interview and are very well spoken for the most part. Officiating has been better, less clutching, but now sometimes they call everything. Keep working on it and eventually they would get it right. And finally 7. Let these guys fight. A little self policing wouldn't hurt sometimes. Two guys fight and its usually over. McCarty went after Lemieux and then he cam back to show he wasn't a turtle and then it was over for the most part.

The CBA in 95 was a result of the big teams like Detroit not wanting the cap and they spoke out against it which totally hurt Bettman getting the cap then. As for the mismanaging of these teams I think some owners came in thinking they can sit back and not have to do much with it and thats not the case in the NHL as mentioned. You actually have to do some work with an NHL team. Even in Detroit remember how bad the Wings were? Illitch had to give away cars to get people to come. I also think the NHL as a whole thought just because all of a sudden LA was competitive and drawing in fans that it would take care of it self which it didn't. They needed to work harder to get people involved in the smaller markets, imo. The Kings had Gretzky and that was the biggest reason for the attraction. If all the smaller markets had a player like that it would make things much easier.

Where was their slide that he caused? The didn't do great with him but they didn't stink. He was only there what? Not even a whole two years? The team kept running into the Wings. Then they finally had a good year in 2000 and won the west but lost in round 1 and then in 01 lost in the conf. finals to the avs. Their slide into nothing had nothing to do with Keenan. After losing to the Wings in 02 it was bye bye Blues. Blowing a 3-1 lead to the Canucks in 03 and in 02 losing in round 1 again and post-lock out they have been bad. But all of their troubles came well after Keenan. I agree he's not the guy to bring into Calgary or any team anymore but thats Sutter's mistake.

Larry Murphy calling the games? I don't think so. Play by play is a different beast than commentating. That would be a trainwreck. As for him pulling off both he could do it. Emrick does Versus/NBC and does Devils games during the season. Granted he doesn't do that often but those national games are one time a week thing. But would he be the next #1 after Cole leaves? Jim Hugson wouldn't be next in line since he is the #2 guy on CBC after they canned Cuthbert.

Brodeur had a great year but the team around him is better than the Canucks so I think thats why Luongo and Crosby seem to be way ahead of him. My vote would go to Crosby just because the Canucks were doing well before he got there too. But thats me.

Not sure what part of my post you are commenting on but for the first part 3 teams in the east time zone would be Det, Hamilton, CBJ. And second where did moving Chicago come from? Even though I think Chicago is the biggest joke ever right now, an original 6 team isn't moving. I agree that it is a sport everywhere and would I like Nashville to stay put? I honestly don't care. It wouldn't hurt me one way or another. I just think Balsille should be able to do what he wants with the team, if he buys them and within the rules of the lease and all of that. If the lease is broken and TO and Buffalo are ok with Hamilton getting a team and there is major interest it should be his right to move them and I don't think the NHL should say no just because they want to try and grow the game down there. My point was they let the Jets move to the desert where they still struggle. So whats wrong with moving the team to Hamilton? For the hardcore fans of the Preds out there I hope they stay because thats who it sucks for the most. I just don't think the NHL should say no as long as Balsille is doing everything correct in regards to the lease and all of that.

Coaches should be coaches and GMs should be GMs. Its very hard to do both. The two should work together on what they need.

If he was taking over GM too I would say you might be right. but with Sutter as GM I don't see either of those two guys being traded.

Actually if Nashville/Hamilton stayed in the west, which would be dumb, there would be 3 eastern time teams in the west. As for the selling of the tickets the biggest reason is to make sure there is interest in the city if he does move the team there. Obviously it seems he wants to move them but this doesn't mean they are moving for sure. There are still a lot of other things that need to happen first, as everyone has mentioned. And I don't see how the NHL can say no to him buying this team. Hes paying well over value and it helps out a guy whos losing money. If the NHL says no just because they don't like the idea of him moving the team out of Nashville to a canadian city I will slap them. If he buys them its his right pretty much. They let Winnipeg and Hartford move from hockey markets, yes I know they were having problems, to cities that had no idea what hockey was but they aren't ok with moving a team from Nashville to Hamilton. I know they have only been there 9 years and all that and you can argue that all you want and I udnerstand that but I think you see my point.

Yeah all he has to do is play the way he did all year. If the Wings can stay healthy in the playoffs they will have a good chance to make a push again next year. The lack of blueliner depth cost them I think. But thats the nature of the cap. Makes you have bring young guys in. You can't carry 8 veterans anymore like in 02. Lidstrom, Ollauson, Fischer, Cheli, Duchesne, Dandy, Krupp and Slegr. Won't see that happen again.

Wow that happened kinda out of nowhere. I don't think Playfair did a good job but no one saw this coming at this time. If Playfair would have been out I would have thought at most 2 weeks after they were done. As for Keenan I don't know if his style really works well anymore. I mean that team needs discipline and he will make sure they don't do stupid stuff but I don't know if hes as motivating to the NHL players of today.

Schneider is the next one on the list. This team was so close this year and I don't see why they couldn't do it again next year. Glad Dom is back. Is it Oct. yet?

I hope Lidstrom wins it and think he should. But as for wiki I could go in there and change it to say Brett Lebda won the Norris if I wanted.

Hasek will be the next one to be announced most likely. And hope Schneider not too long after that, and before July 1st so we won't have to worry about them going to find a replacement elsewhere.