The Official NHL 2006-2007 Season Thread

[Mal Brossard]

Good.  Hope Chelios is right behind him.

[tim_m]

Leetch officially retires from NHL

BOSTON (CP) - Star defenceman Brian Leetch officially retired Thursday, ending an 18-year career that featured two Norris Trophy wins and 10 all-star selections.

The 39-year-old sat out the entire out 2006-07 season after spending 2005-06 with the Boston Bruins, when he recorded five goals and 27 assists in 61 games.

"I have been fortunate to be an NHL player since 1988," Leetch said in a statement. "I missed being in the NHL this past season, but believe it was the right time for me to stop playing."

Leetch was originally drafted by the New York Rangers ninth overall in the 1986 entry draft and spent parts of 16-plus seasons on Broadway.

In 1991-92, he became only the fifth defenceman in NHL history to reach the 100-point plateau and finished the year with 102 points (22-80).

 

He was moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a trade deadline deal in 2003-2004 and after the lockout spent his final season with the Bruins.

In 1,205 games, he scored 247 goals with 781 assists _ one of only seven NHL defenceman to record 1,000 points.

Leetch is also the only American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after helping the Rangers end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994. 

Next stop for him the hall of fame without a doubt.

[Mal Brossard]

Game 1 goes to Anaheim!

You know the NHL has lost it when Mike Comrie is playing the "netcrasher/screener" role for the #1 power play unit of a Stanley Cup playoff finalist and Sammy Pahlsson is referred to as an intimidating checking line center who leads the team in hits during the playoffs. Cam Neely, Rick Tocchet and Dave Andreychuk are rolling over in the graves that they don't even inhabit yet.

Ducks in 6, with Brad May winning a one-sided beatdown of a fight over Chris Neil at some point.

[Malcolm]

The Pittsburgh Penguins will announce tomorrow that Sidney Crosby will be named the team's captain.

At 19, Crosby will become the youngest captain in NHL history.

In just his second season, Crosby led the National Hockey League with 120 points while guiding the Penguins to their first playoff berth since 2001.

The Penguins have gone captain-less since Mario Lemieux's second retirement in January 2006.

Crosby has served as an alternate captain since midway through his rookie season.

[Skeba]

Excellent news from Pittsburgh... Though he's only 19, I think he has shown that he can be a leader and deserves the C.

On a more current note, the second final is just starting, and it's 3 am here. Hoping to see Anaheim grab the 2-0 lead. I do hope though that Ottawa gets at least 1 win from the games as I won't be able to see finals 3 and 4.

[Mal Brossard]

Last player named captain at age 19: Vincent Lecavalier.

We all know how that turned out.

[Neemo]

this will be his third year though...Yzerman was 20 wasnt he? and look how that turned out...though Crosby is a bit whiny for my liking...

man anaheim really shut down ottawa last night

[Skeletor]

I do hope though that Ottawa gets at least 1 win from the games as I won't be able to see finals 3 and 4.

Selfish bastard Though I'd be quite surprised if Anaheim wins it 4-0, so I'm sure you'll get your wish anyway...

[Loaded NightraiN]

Crosby is a bit whiny for my liking...

Wow really?? I think he handles all those cheap shots he recieves, pretty well....

[Neemo]

Crosby is a bit whiny for my liking...

Wow really?? I think he handles all those cheap shots he recieves, pretty well....

haha you must be a penguins fan

IMO the only reason he got the "A" in his rookie year was cuz he was complaining to the refs tooo much and was getting penalties. he didnt stop this past year and by the end the refs just started ignoring him when he went down

[Loaded NightraiN]

Crosby is a bit whiny for my liking...

Wow really?? I think he handles all those cheap shots he recieves, pretty well....

haha you must be a penguins fan

IMO the only reason he got the "A" in his rookie year was cuz he was complaining to the refs tooo much and was getting penalties. he didnt stop this past year and by the end the refs just started ignoring him when he went down

Nope a sabres fan...

I didnt see a whole lotta pens games.. But when I did see them, it seemed like he got hasseled quite a bit..

[Malcolm]

Hurricanes sign Ward to three-year deal

The Carolina Hurricanes announced Thursday that the team has signed goaltender Cam Ward to a three-year contract.
The contract will pay Ward $2 million in 2007-08, $2.5 million in 2008-09 and $3.5 million in 2009-10.
"Cam is one of the cornerstones of our team moving forward," said general manager Rutherford in a statement. "He has already built an impressive resume for himself at a young age, and we believe he is going to be one of the elite goaltenders in the National Hockey League for a long time." Ward, 23, completed his second NHL season in 2006-07, establishing career bests in games played (60), wins (30), goals-against average (2.93), save percentage (.897) and shutouts (2). As a rookie in 2005-06, Ward earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL's playoff MVP after leading the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup championship.

Report: Balsillie gets deal in Hamilton

The Hamilton Spectator reports that the City of Hamilton has re-activated an agreement with Waterloo billionaire Jim Balsillie, giving him exclusive rights to bring an NHL team to Copps Coliseum. The news comes just one week after Balsillie, co-CEO of BlackBerry innovator Research In Motion, agreed to buy the NHL's Nashville Predators last week for US$220 million. According to The Spectator, Balsillie approached the city late last week through Toronto lawyer Richard Rodier which led to several behind-the-scenes discussions with Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. "He has assured me that he wants to secure a team and he is interested in bringing it to Hamilton," Eisenberger told The Spectator. "Certainly he has the resources to do it and we will leave it up to him to pull it together." The paper adds that the city is also negotiating to give Balsillie the right to run Hamilton Place and the Convention Centre if he brings in an NHL team franchise.

The Montreal Gazette reports that the Canadiens have made a contract offer to defenceman Sheldon Souray.

Souray's agent Paul Theofanous, told the Gazette on Wednesday that Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey made the offer on Tuesday, after the club had signed defenceman Andrei Markov to a four-year, $23-million contract. "We got the offer," he told the paper. "It's May, late May, but it's still early, and we're just going to sit here and evaluate Sheldon's free-agent options over the next couple of weeks." Theofanous would not divulge the financial terms of the offer. Souray, 30, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
"The Canadiens have Sheldon's rights until June 30," Theofanous said. "We'll see what (the Canadiens) want to do," he added, without confirming or denying he had made a counter-offer to the team. "I don't know what tomorrow is going to bring."

Report: Leafs close to deal with Sundin

The Toronto Sun reports that the Maple Leafs are close to agreeing on a two-year, $11 million US contract with captain Mats Sundin. The Leafs have a team option on Sundin's existing deal that would pay him $4.56 million US next season and cost the team $6.33 million US in cap space. Sundin, 36, was bothered by hip discomfort this past season and was recently was told by a Swedish specialist that he would not require major surgery. Sundin has led the Leafs in scoring in 11 of his 12 seasons with the team. He was drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989. The six-foot-five, 225-pound centre earned US$7.6-million last season.

[Loaded NightraiN]

Report: Balsillie gets deal in Hamilton

The Hamilton Spectator reports that the City of Hamilton has re-activated an agreement with Waterloo billionaire Jim Balsillie, giving him exclusive rights to bring an NHL team to Copps Coliseum. The news comes just one week after Balsillie, co-CEO of BlackBerry innovator Research In Motion, agreed to buy the NHL's Nashville Predators last week for US$220 million. According to The Spectator, Balsillie approached the city late last week through Toronto lawyer Richard Rodier which led to several behind-the-scenes discussions with Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. "He has assured me that he wants to secure a team and he is interested in bringing it to Hamilton," Eisenberger told The Spectator. "Certainly he has the resources to do it and we will leave it up to him to pull it together." The paper adds that the city is also negotiating to give Balsillie the right to run Hamilton Place and the Convention Centre if he brings in an NHL team franchise.

Very interesting... Hafta see how this turns out..

[tim_m]

I wonder if it would be a team that moves there or is the league planning more expansion.

[Loaded NightraiN]

I wonder if it would be a team that moves there or is the league planning more expansion.

"The news comes just one week after Balsillie, co-CEO of BlackBerry innovator Research In Motion, agreed to buy the NHL's Nashville Predators last week for US$220 million"


The league would be stupid to expand after that lockout...

[tim_m]

I wonder if it would be a team that moves there or is the league planning more expansion.

"The news comes just one week after Balsillie, co-CEO of BlackBerry innovator Research In Motion, agreed to buy the NHL's Nashville Predators last week for US$220 million"


The league would be stupid to expand after that lockout...

Doh, I feel dumb missing that part of the article. I guess they're not doing to well in Nashville. I wonder if they'll do any better up north.

[Communist China]

Chris Neil has a kid now. I guess I can no longer root for his head to be removed from his shoulders. I'll have to settle for a light concussion when he takes a punch in the head from Brad May.

[Malcolm]

NHL suspends Ducks' Pronger for one-game

OTTAWA (CP) - Chris Pronger will miss Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final.

The Anaheim Ducks defenceman received a one-game suspension Sunday after hitting Ottawa's Dean McAmmond in the head with his forearm during Game 3.

"This one took a lot of thought," Colin Campbell, the NHL's executive vice-president and director of hockey operations, said at a news conference. "It wasn't an easy one. It didn't jump out at us right away.

McAmmond left Saturday's game with a head injury and is doubtful for Game 4 on Monday.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

This series has been very physical right from the get-go.

[tim_m]

Well i saw that suspension coming.