StevieY9802

Stefan Liv confirmed to have been on the plane.

Sadly I have to assume McCrimmon was on the plane since he's the head coach. I'm going to be following this story all day for sure.

Forgot that he just had a baby. This just keeps getting worse and worse.

From Tom Gulitti's twitter: Former NHLers on Lokomotiv roster: Vasyunov, former Devil Karel Rachunek, Pavol Demitra, Karlis Skrastsins, Ruslan Salei, Josef Vasicek. Terrible tragedy.

While I'd like him I'd rather have a more veteran #6 dman. As far as Asham, it won't happen I don't think. It appears to be Modano or no one. Without Mo, they sign Abby and Helm and they've got 14 forwards. I don't see them dropping Eaves, Miller or Ritola for Asham.

I don't want them to do an indoor game and I don't think they would. Part of the thing is being outdoors. But that not withstanding, the problem with kings/ducks is that across the US people wouldn't watch it, I don't think. While it might draw some interesting in SoCal, it probably won't anywhere else.

I can't fault the NHL for doing this. I can however fault them for not doing this one first. You push AO and Sid and you but the Pens and Sabres? I might watch but it doesn't intrigue me as much as past ones. It wouldn't have been a canadian team as some have said so it really doesn't leave you THAT many teams left to pick from. NYC was talked about but isn't there a bowl game going on in NYC that day? So really that leaves the Wild and maybe the Avs as possible teams to host that haven't already? The problem is the Wild aren't any good and people wouldn't watch and the Avs aren't back to where they were 10 years ago yet. Fault the NHL for trying to make money when they are a business? Sorry but I can't fault them for this. It's been great ratings every time and it will be this time they weren't going to turn it away. The NHL wants to show that it can draw in big crowds to get a good tv deal as people have mentioned. Wasn't the vice-president of ESPN at the game at Fenway last year?

You might be right about the trading thing. It sounds familiar.

I am too. I posted the idea of a luxury tax in another message board and people didn't listen to my idea and just said "oh no it'll be just like MLB!" The rumor from Spector about $48mil scares me if there is no tax. I was having a good convo with him on twitter a few weeks ago about this. I mean so much of what the league promised would happen under a salary cap world hasn't. It hasn't controlled salaries. To an extent maybe it has but when Boogaard get 1.7 per and Finder got what 3.5 per and Kovy isn't gettin 100mil. Said it would help the small markets and yet Tampa has been sold twice, Fla has sold at least once post-lockout, ATL is for sale, CJB is bleeding money, the Stars are about to be sold and so on. Also I remember Brian Burke saying the Ducks finished in the red while winning the Cup in 07. So with a cap of 44mil and having like 12 more home games the Ducks still didn't make money? So I don't see what a luxury tax is such a bad idea. The big spending teams can but will get dinged for it and that money goes to the struggling markets. The people who are against it think it'll create the Yankees or at the other end the Pirates, where they'll be sitting on the money they get. But I think a soft cap of around 48mil and the "hard cap" at 60 or so wouldn't be bad. It'll control teams but also tax them. Also I think keep the floor so that teams can't sit on their money. There would of course have to be regulations on the money the struggling teams get but still I think it's better. While competitive balance is good having teams have to lose players because they can't sign them doesn't work very well either. One of the people who didn't agree with me on the other message board was a Pens fan and he said the hard cap is better so I told him that in 2012-13 if the NHL gets a 48mil hard cap your team will have 3mil to sign 13 players so I'm sure he'll be happy when a lot of his team gets dismantled. To wrap up am I worried about a lockout? Yes. I'm worried both sides are, well like the US Govt where they don't want to work together they just want what they want or don't want to give ground. If that happens and we get a lockout, even for a month, I think it could kill the NHL. Especially in the non-traditional markets. You want to keep them? Losing any time in that season won't let you.

Yeah. Huet isn't on the team either way. They are $400k over the cap with 17 players. So there is no way Huet is there. My guess is they've already talked to guys like Turco or maybe even Theodore to see what it would cost to get them and if Niemi is over that they don't keep him. I wonder though do they just walk from it, or take it and try to trade him?

Currently, performance bonuses get differed to the following year.

I agree to an extent with you. I have no problem with a 40 year old signing a 2 year deal. I think saying someone like Mark Recchi can only sign a year at time isn't right. But I get what you're saying. I am with you that these longer term deals should stop at age 40. So if you are 31 you can go ahead and sign a long term deal but it can't be longer than 9 years. Most players start to decline a lot after the age of 37 or 38. As for front loading I'm not against it. Zetterberg gets most of his money by 38 and I think that's ok but I wouldn't be surprised if the NHL changes that in the next cba. Pierre LeBrun mentioned that one GM said they were throwing around the idea of taking the highest paying 5 years of the long term deals and the average of those 5 years is what would be the cap #. That way you can front load all you want but aren't circumventing the cap.

I read somewhere that if they loan him to a team in Europe his cap number comes off. Not sure if they still pay him or not. But they'll get nothing for him. No one is going to pick up his 2 years at $5.6mil per. At worse he's going to be sent to the minors so his cap # comes off the books but they'll still be paying him $5.6mil per season to play minor league hockey.

After MacArthur got $2.4mil for scoring 35 points I'd be surprised if Niemi only got $2mil.

I can't imagine dropping Kopecky would be enough to for sure keep Niemi. Dropping him you would still have to replace him with a guy making not too much less than him most likely. I mean you drop him for a guy making 700k that saves you $500k. So is $500k going to make a difference in keeping Niemi or not? Can't imagine it would. Also you've lost so much of your depth guys do you want to lose another?

Vanek's contract was driven up my Kevin Lowe's offer sheet though. I don't who forgets those contracts you mentioned though. I don't. I remember people wondering if Datsyuk was getting too much at 6.7 a year when he signed right before the playoffs and then a few months later two 2nd line centers in Drury and Gomez signed for more money than that. And while it is supply and demand on this market, and over a shorter term deal I would have no problem with Kovalchuck getting 7-8mil a year. But the length and when the deal ends in terms of his age is stupid. The way I explained it to a Devils fan as to why I thought in now way was he worth it was that over the next 11 years, if Hossa and Zetterberg play out their deals Kovy would make about $44mil more than Hossa and around $34mil more than Zetterberg. Just because he might be one of the best pure goal scorers in the league doesn't mean he's worth THAT MUCH more than those two guys who have both shown to be able to score 40 goals. Here is an interesting read from The Hockey News: http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/34607-THNcom-Blog-Kovalchuk-contract-could-be-restructured-by-arbitrator.html That potential reform of the deal would suck for Kovy but when you blatantly circumvent the cap like that, more than any other deal has, you ask for it. And he said it was about the team and he wanted to be NJ? I mean he also said he would play till he's 44 so why should he care right?

He would have to be the #3 and 4 center along with playing wing on his own line. so maybe 2 bags of groceries. I figured the Hawks one had to be false, or they were just that stupid.

The first part is because he was playing with the Stars and they stunk. So I can see that and would think a change of venue would be good. But I agree with your second part, not he piss part. If he wanted to play he should know by now. Don't pull a Sundin/Niedermayer.

yeah I can't believe Chicago is in the mix. If they sign him, which you would assume would have to be around what the Wings offered at $1.2mil, before they straighten out the rest of their group would be stupid.

Jiri Hudler's last two playoffs 9 goals and 26 points. Jason Williams last two playoffs: 0 goals. So yeah, totally the same. His last season here he had 23 goals so you really don't think that'll make a difference? As for him being overpaid guys who scored around 23 goals last year were Vinny Lecavalier, Brad Richards (who both make almost 8mil) RJ Umberger who makes $3.7mil Radim Vrbada who makes $3mil. So overpaid? Not really. Williams is gone, Meech probably will be and at best Maltby is on a two-way contract, which I don't think he'll take. Kris Draper will be gone after this year. So do you actually think things through or research them before you post them or no?

Bingo. I wouldn't put anything into this. This guy said Wings were going to offer Kovalchuk a one years 8.5mil deal and I replied to him and said they would have to move about 6mil worth of salary to do that. Then within minutes he said he talked to a source that told him it was just a dream idea by someone and it wasn't real. Yeah from me and or a bunch of others saying there is no way this happens? There is no way if they are waiting on Modano that they would sign Malts. Maybe they do if Mo says no but I dont think he's back. Without Modano and signing Abby and Helm Wings are at 14 forwards. I don't see it happening unles he wants to play in GR.

I agree there is a logjam on the 4th line. He's cleared waiver in the past but I don't think he will after a 10 goal season and was great on the PK. And Holland said he would like to sign someone with grit but that's easier said then done with stupid gm's paying bigger money for a 4th line grinder. I think you'll be waiting a while for someone better with a cap friendly salary. Again I agree there is a logjam on the 4th line which could make Drew expendable. I am just not confident they will be able to sign the grit the Wings will want for a price that works for them.

Does no one like Drew Miller? No ones even mentioned him with their line combos and he's most certain to get re-signed.

I hate him but that was a perfect comment and very true about him having better things to do. I mean dude you just won the Cup, granted being benched, but that is what you are thinking about? Loved the minors comment.

People in the media are stupid. "They are used to it." What? They played like 402 games in 4 years no one is used to that. And it's not like they lost to the Thrashers they lost to the best team in the West. And they really aren't all that old. 70-75% of this team is 30 or younger. People just want this to be the end. But people said that in 99 too and now only 5 guys from that team are still here and they are still a contender.