Official NHL 2005-2006 Season Thread

[Neemo]

wow...boston is on a roll....maybe they will doo better than i thought next year

[Neemo]

TORONTO (CP) - With their skilled defencemen locked up long-term, the Toronto Maple Leafs added a pair of blue-line behemoths Saturday.

The Leafs signed six-foot-seven veteran Hal Gill to a $6.3-million, three-year contract while coming to terms with six-foot-five defenceman Pavel Kubina on a $20-million, four-year deal.


leafs finally doing something about their blueline

[Malcolm]

The Senators brought Dominik Hasek's time in Ottawa to an end Saturday, signing former Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Martin Gerber to a three-year, $11.1 million contract.

Rob Blake is returning to his roots. Blake, who began his stellar career with the Los Angeles Kings in 1989-90, agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the team Saturday worth $12 million after spending the last 4 1/2 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.

The most sought-after forward in the NHL's free agent pool is staying in New Jersey.Patrik Elias has signed a seven-year, $42 million contract to remain a New Jersey Devil.Elias, 30, was believed to be looking for a new contract that would pay him the league maximum of $8.8 million US, or 20 percent of the cap.

[Mal Brossard]

Sadly Neemo, by signing Gill, the Leafs blueline just got worse, rather than better.  The guy is honestly useless and has been for quite some time.  Kubina is a hell of a good pickup though-- probably the most underrated defenseman in the league who finally seems to be gettign some recognition.

[Neemo]

Sadly Neemo, by signing Gill, the Leafs blueline just got worse, rather than better.? The guy is honestly useless and has been for quite some time.? Kubina is a hell of a good pickup though-- probably the most underrated defenseman in the league who finally seems to be gettign some recognition.

he can't be any worse that Aki Berg

arnason to Colorado is a decent pickup and Osgood resigned with the wings (I like that ) and How in the hell is Lalime still in this league? signed with Chicago

Jay McKee leaves Buffalo for the Blues

[Malcolm]

Nashville Signed forward Jason Arnott to a five-year contract.

NY Islanders Signed forward Mike Sillinger to a three-year contract.

[Neemo]

'Tis a sad day for Hockey...but it was time...a 22 year career with one team unheard of in this day and age....he brought the team from being mediocre, to the top of the world...even if you aren't a Redwings fan you can't deny his greatness and all he has done for this game.

thanks for the memories Stevey Y, you fucking rule!!!!

DETROIT (AP) -- Steve Yzerman, the Red Wings' longtime captain who played his entire 22-year NHL career with Detroit, is retiring.

The 41-year-old Yzerman, who was 18 when he joined the Red Wings in 1983, ended months of speculation about his future when he announced his retirement at a news conference Monday.

"My intention throughout the season was to retire, play one last year," Yzerman said. "I really enjoyed my final season here with the Red Wings. I thought about it a lot, about coming back and playing this season. This is the right decision for me at this time. I really have no doubt about that."

Yzerman led Detroit to three Stanley Cups and playoff appearances in each of the last 15 years of his career. Only Gordie Howe holds as many franchise records. He has been Detroit's captain since 1986, making him the longest-serving captain in league history.

"I look forward to a future in the game of hockey with the Red Wings in some aspect," he said.

A 10-time All-Star, Yzerman was a member of the NHL's All-Rookie team in 1984, won the Lester B. Pearson Award honoring the league's outstanding player in 1989, the Conn Smythe Trophy honoring the playoff MVP in 1998 and helped Canada win gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

His 692 goals rank eighth all-time, while he is seventh on the career list with 1,063 assists.

"Steve was a great ambassador for the game of hockey and will be sorely missed," said Mario Lemieux, a teammate of Yzerman's on the 2002 Olympic gold medal team. "Steve was a great leader, a great teammate and most importantly is a great person."

After leading the Red Wings back from years of mediocrity to the top rank of the NHL, Yzerman's individual achievements were tempered with disappointing team results late in his career. After winning back-to-back Cups in 1997-98, Detroit lost in the first or second round in six of seven years -- interrupted only by the 2002 Cup.

The Red Wings had the best record in the league last season but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.

"I really enjoyed the season," Yzerman said. "It ended in disappointment, but that's the one great thing about sports in general. There's no predicting what's the outcome."

Major knee surgery limited Yzerman to 16 games in 2002-03, but he came back the following season to score 18 goals and 33 assists in 75 games. He managed 14 goals and 20 assists in 61 games last season despite tearing muscles three times.

"I'm becoming somewhat a part-time player," he said. "At this stage it's too difficult on my knee to do the things I want to do out there."

One of Detroit's most popular pro athletes, the soft-spoken player long known simply as "The Captain" is the Red Wings' all-time leader in playoff scoring. He ranks first in assists and second only to Howe in games played, goals and points in the regular season. Yzerman also finished last season with more career regular-season and playoff points than any active NHL player.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AlMjtR0HaTU_n_PBROMQdhd7vLYF?slug=ap-redwings-yzerman&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Malcolm]

Chris Pronger the biggest name on the summer trade block, is going to California. The Anaheim Ducks have traded Joffrey Lupul, top prospect Ladislav Smid, Anaheim's first-round choice in 2007, a conditional first-round pick and Anaheim's second-round pick in 2008 to the Oilers in exchange for Pronger.

Stevey Y will be missed to...A great player

St.Louis Agreed to terms with defenseman Jay McKee on a four-year contract.

[Mal Brossard]

Chris Pronger the biggest name on the summer trade block, is going to California. The Anaheim Ducks have traded Joffrey Lupul, top prospect Ladislav Smid, Anaheim's first-round choice in 2007, a conditional first-round pick and Anaheim's second-round pick in 2008 to the Oilers in exchange for Pronger.

Yeah, there certainly won't be any hot female reporters in Southern California of all places.

So how does the Canadian child support system work? Is it the same as in the USA? How much red tape is there if sending payments from the US to Canada?  If his wife takes half his salary, will it count against the salary cap?

In other news, the Bruins signed Shean Donovan.  You can hand us the Cup now, thanks.

Can anyone tell I'm in a wicked sarcastic and pessimistic mood today?

Not out of sarcasm though, thanks to Steve Yzerman.  Easily one of the 10 greatest players ever.

[Neemo]

what's the deal with Pronger anyway? why is he leaving Edm?

and that is the best they can get for him? what a waste

[Mal Brossard]

Alright, here's the info on Pronger: http://www.deadspin.com/sports/nhl/is-this-the-real-reason-pronger-wants-out-184268.php

As for the trade, Edmonton ripped Anaheim off bad.  Lupul was 28-25-53 last season, as a second or third liner, I believe.  Add in a defensive prospect (who is a former first round pick, 9th overall in fact) AND three picks (including a first and a second rounder), and I really think Edmonton got the far better end of it all.

[Malcolm]

Phoenix Signed center Jeremy Roenick to a one-year contract.

Phoenix Signed right wing Georges Laraque to a two-year contract.

Minesota Re-signed forward Marian Gaborik to a three-year deal

 

[Neemo]

Well this fucking sucks I like Legace :'(Ken Holland is a Jackass...he was a asshole when he fucked over Joseph and he's an asshole now) fuck I'm mad now

Free agent Legace waiting for suitors

Canadian Press

7/7/2006 3:11:12 PM

The question to Manny Legace seemed innocent enough. Where will he sign?

"Good question, I have no idea," Legace said Friday. "No calls, nothing at this point."

The unrestricted free-agent goaltender hasn't got a sniff since the free-agent market opened last Saturday. And he's stunned.

"It's just mind-boggling," he said from Detroit. "I thought for sure there'd be interest from somebody after the year I had. But nothing. I don't know what to think. And I don't know what teams are thinking."

Legace's agent, Ed Ratushny, has picked up the phone from his end to get things going.
 
"We have started preliminary discussions with two teams," he said from Ottawa. "But what I find surprising was the bidding for Martin Gerber as compared to Manny."

Gerber signed an $11.1-million US, three-year deal with the Ottawa Senators, who outbid Legace's old team the Red Wings for the Swiss goalie's services.

As Ratushny points out, Gerber's 2.78 goals-against average and .906 save percentage with Carolina last season trailed Legace's 2.19 GAA (third in the NHL) and .915 save percentage.

It appears Legace is paying the price for a so-so performance in the first round of the playoffs when the top-seeded Red Wings where bounced out by Edmonton in six game.

Still, this is a guy who was fifth among NHL goalies last season with 37 wins and placed fifth in voting for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top netminder _ an award voted on by NHL GMs.

"I thought I had a great year to be honest with you," said the 33-year-old Legace, who earned $1.16 million last season. "I thought I'd get some interest but nothing, no one has called.

"To be honest, I don't know what's going to happen."

He knows all the starters' jobs are gone so he's realistic about his next assignment.

"I'm willing to do anything on any team," he said. "Ideally I'd like to go to a team where at least I'd have a chance to compete for the No. 1 job. That's all I'm probably looking for now, a chance to compete."

The most obvious teams that could use his services are Florida, where young Alex Auld might need a push, and St. Louis, where the same scenario presents itself with sophomore Curtis Sanford.

"I'd be nice to go to St. Louis, it would be very nice," said Legace. "They're making some great moves, there's new ownership. And I know (president) John Davidson very well. He's always spoken well of me. I'd love to go play for him."

Legace still lives in Detroit, where he met his wife, and wishes he'd come back for a seventh season with the Red Wings. But GM Ken Holland phoned him in early June and told him the Wings were going to look for a different starter.

"It was a shocking phone call," recalls Legace. "I thought we could work something out. It was just disappointing. That was tough because I loved playing in Detroit, it was awesome. That was the best owner I've ever played for, a great organization.

"But they were very classy about it, they didn't throw me out like an old newspaper. We talked and they made me understand they wanted to go in another direction."

He's looked on with interest as the Wings continue to look for his replacement.

"I think they were really going after Gerber," Legace said. "(Wings coach) Mike Babcock wanted one of his old goalies there and that's understandable, coaches want their own guys. It's unfortunate they didn't get him.

"I think now they're looking at probably (Ed) Belfour or bring back Dom (Hasek). That's what I foresee for them."

Legace is 114-43-18 in 197 career regular-season games with a 2.21 GAA and .917 save percentage.

He's 4-6-0 with a 2.54 GAA and .888 save percentage in 11 career NHL playoff games.

[Communist China]

^ The market is just flooded. Several goalies up for grabs, and teams always are thinking of the future. Except the Red Wings, but I suppose he can't go there, now, can he?

Also, Legace is overrated anyway, he's really only an okay goalie, but he's asking price is probably more than that of an above average back-up goalie.

[Malcolm]

The New York Post reports that forward Brendan Shanahan has agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Rangers.

The Post adds that the 37-year-old veteran took the deal - worth about $4 million for next season - after turning down more lucrative offers from both the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.

Shanahan reportedly informed Canadiens GM Bob Gainey Saturday he was rejecting his team's bid to sign him.

Shanahan had 40 goals and 81 points last season and earned $2.28 million US.

[Mal Brossard]

Of what I heard, Shanny really wanted to play for the Bruins, but Dave Lewis absolutely hates him from their days with the Wings.  And so, he becomes a Ranger.

Bruins fuck up yet another great chance.  How many more?

[Communist China]

I don't consider Shanahan a great chance. Bruins need to work for a younger, faster team. Signing Shanahan would've hurt the teams cap situation and slowed them down, plus at 37 any year could be the one where he can't compete anymore. It's a gamble to give a guy 4 mil at 37 despite his great year last year. Rangers are going for a "this year is THE year if it kills us" while the Bruins can step back (and they also already made a big move this offseason) and say "2 or 3 years and we'll be ready."

[Malcolm]

Chicago traded Preissing, Hennessy, defenseman Michal Barinka and a 2008 second-round draft pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forwards Martin Havlat and Bryan Smolinski;

[Backslash]

Chicago traded Preissing, Hennessy, defenseman Michal Barinka and a 2008 second-round draft pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forwards Martin Havlat and Bryan Smolinski;

And of course, Chicago got Preissing and Hennessy from San Jose for Mark Bell.

I think this was a bad move on Muckler's part.  Sure, Preissing has his moments, but Havlat and Smolinski?  that is like trading milk and cookies for asparagus.  The kicker is that Havlat signed a deal with Chicago worth $18 million over 3 years.  Big money for an injury-prone unproven, self-proclaimed, star.

[Neemo]

man chicago has gotten rid of Arnason and now bell 2 of their top 3 scorers...not a very good move IMO for a team with low scoring to begin with