The Official NHL 2007/2008 Thread

[tim_m]

I'd love to see a game 7. What an ending to a great series that would be.

[Thorned Rose]

The game is tonight on NBC @ 8pm cnt time.

Lets go Pens!!!!

I predict the Pens win this game and force a dramatic game 7 in Detroit.

Pitt - 4 Det - 2

[bazgnr]

The game is tonight on NBC @ 8pm cnt time.

Lets go Pens!!!!

I predict the Pens win this game and force a dramatic game 7 in Detroit.

Pitt - 4 Det - 2

I can't bring myself to make a prediction, but I hope you're right.  If nothing else, I hope it's a game that's anywhere near exciting as game 5 was...

[Mal Brossard]

I'm a huge Pens fan, but I think Detroit takes game 6 and the Cup, 4-1 final.

[tim_m]

I have to agree, game 6 seems to be the toughest game to win for teams down 3-2. You just rarely see them win it.

[bazgnr]

Man, did I get my hopes up on that last shot.  An exciting ending, overall. 

[Thorned Rose]

Yeah good series, good teams, Detroit was the better team.

The consistency with the calls is flukey.

That last shot was so so so close. 2 inches to the right and it's a goal.

Good job Detroit, even though i hate them

[Skeba]

One personal mistake by Orpik on the third goal and a bad decision by Fleury on the second. That was enough to seal the deal for Detroit.

It was an extremely entertaining series for the last 4 games... Can't be too disappointed with the performance the Penguins gave.

And there's always next year. This was an amazing year to be a Penguins fan. First time in 16 years to make it to the cup finals.

Bring on 2008-2009...

Congrats Detroit.

[D]

More Malkin and maybe Pittsburgh win it.

Did Detroit just make a conscious effort to eliminate him from the game or did he just not show up?


Happy to see my man Marian Hossa show up and have a great playoff.

NHLratings were up HUGE in the US though and thats a great sign.

cant wait to the draft.

hopefully my thrashers pick up a gem!

we need DEFENSE or a center to pair with Kovy.

[CheapJon]

Lidstr?m is going to raise the cup

nice

[Malcolm]

FLYERS SHIP PROSPAL'S RIGHTS BACK TO LIGHTNING

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Wednesday that they have traded the rights to forward Vaclav Prospal to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a seventh round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. "Vinny really didn't express much of an interest in coming back and playing for us next season," said General Manager Holmgren in making the announcement. "His heart is elsewhere."

MAPLE LEAFS ACQUIRE F MAYERS FROM BLUES


The Toronto Maple Leafs added some toughness Thursday, acquiring right wing Jamal Mayers from the St. Louis Blues for a third-round pick in this weekend's draft. Mayers, a Toronto native, skated in 80 games for St. Louis this past season, collecting 12 goals and 27 points along with 91 penalty minutes.


BLUES ACQUIRE MASON FROM PREDATORS

St. Louis Blues have acquired goaltender Chris Mason from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 4th round draft choice, 111th overall, in the 2008 Entry Draft.
 
PREDATORS INK ELLIS TO TWO-YEAR DEAL

After dealing Chris Mason to the St. Louis Blues for a fourth round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft, the club has signed Dan Ellis to a two-year, $3.5 million contract. The deal will see Ellis make $1.5 million in 2008-09, followed by $2 million in 2009-10.

PANTHERS TRADE CAPTAIN JOKINEN TO COYOTES

The Florida Panthers have traded centre and team captain Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes in a draft-day deal announced Friday at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. The Coyotes sent defencemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard along with a second-round pick (49th overall) in this year's draft. Jokinen, 29, had 34 goals and 37 assists in 82 games for the Panthers last season. The Finnish star leaves Florida as the franchise's all-time leader in goals (188), assists (231) and points (419).

FLAMES ACQUIRE CAMMALLERI, SHIP TANGUAY TO HABS

The Flames acquired forward Mike Cammalleri from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the 17th overall pick in this year's draft and their 2009 second round pick. That deal was a three-way trade that saw LA deal the 17th selection and its 28th pick to Anaheim for the Ducks 12th overall pick in this year's draft. Calgary also dealt forward Alex Tanguay to Montreal for the Canadiens 25th pick. In Cammalleri, the Flames get a player who notched 34 goals and 80 points just two seasons ago for the Kings. This past season Cammalleri battled injuries and wound up with 19 goals and 28 assists in 63 games.

[Malcolm]

OTTAWA -- David Carle was a lock to be drafted at some point during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, but a promising career has been stopped before really getting a chance to start.

Carle was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the walls of the heart that has been cited in the sudden death of young athletes.

Through his agent, Kurt Overhardt, Carle informed all 30 teams of his diagnosis and his decision to no longer play hockey.

Yet, the Tampa Bay Lightning used their final pick, No. 203, to select Carle.

"It was a selection made by our new owner, Oren Koules," said Jay Feaster, the Lightning GM. "He did some discussions with some people, but he came and asked us if we would make that pick. He said the young man worked his whole life to be in a position to be drafted today. He wanted us to make the pick and that's why we did it."

[CheapJon]

OTTAWA -- David Carle was a lock to be drafted at some point during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, but a promising career has been stopped before really getting a chance to start.

Carle was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the walls of the heart that has been cited in the sudden death of young athletes.

Through his agent, Kurt Overhardt, Carle informed all 30 teams of his diagnosis and his decision to no longer play hockey.

Yet, the Tampa Bay Lightning used their final pick, No. 203, to select Carle.

"It was a selection made by our new owner, Oren Koules," said Jay Feaster, the Lightning GM. "He did some discussions with some people, but he came and asked us if we would make that pick. He said the young man worked his whole life to be in a position to be drafted today. He wanted us to make the pick and that's why we did it."

heartbreaking story, honorable thing to do

[bazgnr]

And so very rare in this day and age.  That's fantastic that they did that, for all involved.

[Malcolm]

NIEDERMAYER TO RETURN WITH DUCKS NEXT SEASON

Scott Niedermayer is returning for one more season. Niedermayer and Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke met briefly Thursday morning at which point the 34-old-defenceman informed Burke he will return for the final year of his contract. ''I had a great time last season after returning to the team,'' said Niedermayer. ''I'm excited about having another opportunity to win, and fully expect this team to be competing for another Stanley Cup next spring.''
Last month, the Ducks reportedly gave Niedermayer and soon-to-be free agent winger Teemu Selanne a late-June deadline to make their intentions on next season known. ''It's no secret what Scotty has meant to this organization over the past three years,'' Burke said in a statement. ''Needless to say, we are thrilled he's returning to play for the upcoming season.'' After the Ducks' Stanley Cup win in 2007, Niedermayer contemplated retirement and did not play for the team until Dec. 16. Last season, Niedermayer played in 48 regular season games scoring eight goals with 25 points and a minus-2 rating.

SALARY CAP IN THE NHL GOING UP FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT SEASON

The salary cap in the NHL is going up again. Sources tell TSN that for the 2008-09 season, the salary cap will rise to a maximum of $56.7-million. That is a $6.4-million increase from this past season when the cap was set at $50.3-million. The lower limit also rose to $40.7 million, the minimum each of the 30 teams must spend on player salaries. The most an NHL player can earn in a new contract next season is $11.34 million a year. This is the fourth straight season the salary cap has risen since the end of the NHL lockout when the cap was set at $39-million.

PREDATORS SIGN WEBER TO THREE-YEAR, $13.5 MILLION DEAL
REPORT: ROBERTS WON'T RE-SIGN WITH PITTSBURGH
REPORT: SAKIC WON'T MAKE DECISION ON FUTURE BEFORE JULY 1
MAPLE LEAFS PLACE WELLWOOD, RAYCROFT ON WAIVERS
MAPLE LEAFS BUY OUT TUCKER'S CONTRACT
REPORT: THEODORE TO TEST FREE AGENT MARKET
SHARKS SIGN PAVELSKI, ROENICK AND BOUCHER
LIGHTNING BUY OUT CONTRACT OF GOALTENDER DENIS
CANUCKS CLAIM CENTRE WELLWOOD OFF WAIVERS

LECAVALIER STAYING IN TAMPA WITH $77 MILLION DEAL

The final touches are still being worked on and nothing can be formally announced until July 1, but sources tell TSN the Tampa Bay Lightning and superstar centre Vincent Lecavalier have agreed to terms on a mega-deal that will pay him $77 million over nine years. The annual salary cap hit to the Lightning will be about $8.55 million for the length of the contract, but the final year of the contract is said to be only for about $3 million, which means that if Lecavalier retired after eight seasons, his average salary would be as much as $9.4 million. The deal comes with the expected "no-movement" clause and should guarantee that Lecavalier will finish his NHL career with the team that drafted him No. 1 overall.

[COMAMOTIVE]

You think Melrose like Vinny L?.........Guess so

[Malcolm]

FLYERS, CARTER AGREE TO $15 MILLION EXTENSION

Sources tell TSN the Philadelphia Flyers and forward Jeff Carter have officially agreed to terms on a three-year, $15 million contract extension.

FLAMES RE-SIGN LANGKOW, CONROY, NYSTROM, MCELHINNEY

The Calgary Flames announced Friday that the team has re-signed centres Craig Conroy and Daymond Langkow, left wing Eric Nystrom and goaltender Curtis McElhinney. "Conroy and Langkow are two of our top centremen who are strong role models for our team both on and off the ice," said GM Darryl Sutter in a statement. "Especially with more young wingers in our line-up next season, their experience and leadership will be important. We are happy to be able to make it work by fitting them into our salary structure."

BERTUZZI CLEARS WAIVERS; BECOMES UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT

Veteran winger Todd Bertuzzi cleared waivers on Saturday, making him unrestricted when the free agency period begins on Tuesday. Bertuzzi was reunited with Ducks general manager Brian Burke last summer after signing a two-year, $8-million deal. By going unclaimed, the team will pay two-thirds of his remaining deal.

LIGHTNING GETTING A HEAD START ON FREE AGENT SWEEPSTAKES

The Tampa Bay Lightning's new ownership group vowed to be "staggeringly aggressive' in the NHL's free agent sweepstakes and they are trying to get a head start on that. The Lightning have traded a fourth-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for the exclusive negotiating rights to forwards Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts, who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. ''We said earlier this week we would be aggressive in our pursuit of free agents in order to win and compete,'' Lightning owner Oren Koules said.  ''This trade today doesn't guarantee anything, but we believe it gives us a leg up in our attempt to sign these two impact players.'' If the Lightning were to sign Malone, the more coveted free agent of the two, Pittsburgh will receive Tampa Bay's third-round pick in 2009 or they will receive Dallas' fourth-round pick in 2009, previously acquired by the Lightning, if they are not able to sign Malone. Malone has indicated he intends to go to July 1 to see what the market would bear for his services. Whether this development changes that remains to be seen. It is more likely the Lightning may be able to sign the veteran Roberts, who said during the playoffs that he intended to play again but knew it would not be for the Penguins.

[Malcolm]

So is there anyone here thats hoping there team will sign a certain UFA player? Or maybe even toss an offer sheet at a certain player? Lets hear it

I'm hoping the Leafs will take a shot at Malone...for no more then $5 million though
Todd Bertuzzi (still think hes got alot left in the tank)
Curtis Joseph (good backup goalie with lots of excperience, can handle 10-15 games...still can perform as seen in the playoffs last year)
Niklas Hagman
LADISLAV NAGY...I've wanted this guy in a leafs uniform forever
Cory Stillman...Good hometown boy
Jason Smith
and please please re-sign Dominic Moore...this guys awesome and goes for it every shift

and for some reason I can see Fletcher throwing some offer sheets around....so how bout Corry Perry

[COMAMOTIVE]

At this point , with Jagr's return up in the air, Straka all but gone, and Avery looking to cash in somewhere, the prospects are not looking great for NYR
I'd like to see them go after Campbell and Sundin. I would not bring Shanny back though, he was basically invisible throughout the playoffs.

[tim_m]

Its time for the rangers to give some of the kids on the minor league team a chance. We got some good young kids on the wolf pack. Time to see what they can do. I'd still like to see Jagr and Avery back. The other two need to go.