NHL Off-Season 2005/06

[wheateater]

On another note, since when did Pittsburgh go from bankruptcy to team raiding?

Well, maybe teams like the Kings should've been thinking about this when they were raiding high-priced "stars" like Martin Straka from the Penguins. Sorry that our GM has a little more foresight and spends his money more wisely when he has it.

Thinking about what? And your GM has more foresight than who, now? Exactly how does signing Palffy and Gonchar, and getting lucky in the draft lottery make one have more foresight than anyone else? I don't know what point you're trying to get at here. Please clarify yourself.

[Andy]

Clearly all of the GMs in the NHL were aware that a new CBA was coming and our team was well-prepared for it, unlike some other teams in the league. I think your comment about team-raiding is pretty unfair since the Penguins just spent the better part of the last four years dumping off all of the stars they couldn't afford anymore to teams with a bigger budget. I'll admit that the draft lottery was a lucky bonus for the Penguins, but with the signing of players like Gonchar and Palffy, and having a surplus of young prospects in their fold, Craig Patrick has put his team in a good position to be good for many years, including this one. And we never traded for Martin Straka to make a run for the playoffs. That move is almost inexcusable.

Clear?

[Suigi]

DING!

Sportsnet.ca reports that Ray Whitney is now a Carolina Hurricane.

[edmfan16]

I wanted Whitney on Edmonton.

Avs sign Andrew Brunette. http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/news/curr...ails.asp?ID=331

[wheateater]

Clearly all of the GMs in the NHL were aware that a new CBA was coming and our team was well-prepared for it, unlike some other teams in the league. I think your comment about team-raiding is pretty unfair since the Penguins just spent the better part of the last four years dumping off all of the stars they couldn't afford anymore to teams with a bigger budget. I'll admit that the draft lottery was a lucky bonus for the Penguins, but with the signing of players like Gonchar and Palffy, and having a surplus of young prospects in their fold, Craig Patrick has put his team in a good position to be good for many years, including this one. And we never traded for Martin Straka to make a run for the playoffs. That move is almost inexcusable.

Clear?

OK. First off, I was not the one who made the "team raiding" comment.

Secondly, to say Dave Taylor was not prepared for the post-CBA NHL is terribly inaccurate. At the moment, the Kings have 16 players under contract for less than $26 million. That is hardly a bad position. In contrast, the Pens have only 10 players signed at about $15 million. Pittsburgh is supposed to be one of those teams that hangs around the payroll minimum, so that's probably not that good for them.

In recent years, the Kings haven't had a big budget. An owner who's more interested in turning a profit than winning in order to support his "more important" business ventures does not allow for reckless spending like Detroit, Toronto, or the Rangers. In reference to the Kings picking up Straka in the last season, tell me what they were supposed to do? In 2002-03, LA suffered 583 (or so) man games lost to injury. In 2003-04, they suffered 626 (again, approximately). No team, regardless of depth, can afford to stand pat to keep fans in the seats. LA has a very rich farm system, probably richer than that of Pittsburgh. But when you lose Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh, Palffy, Aaron Miller, and almost every other player at one point or another, your hand is forced.

Don't give me this bull:censored: blaming the Kings for taking your team's "stars." They were hardly the only ones. And even Straka was not immune to the injury bug in LA. So if you think trading for some veteran to try and stay in contention is an inexcusable thing, well go right ahead and pick first overall every year until Pittsburgh is moved to Winnipeg or something.

[FiddySicks]

I wanted him Whitney on Edmonton.

Avs sign Andrew Brunette. http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/news/curr...ails.asp?ID=331

Ive always felt that no matter where it may be that Andrew Brunette and Donald Audette should play togather.

[Roger Clemente]

Avs sign Andrew Brunette. http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/news/curr...ails.asp?ID=331

The guy that ended Patrick Roy's career. Intriguing.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[Neon_Matrix]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

[Brass]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

Yeah, like the Lightning will go for that one.

[Neon_Matrix]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

Yeah, like the Lightning will go for that one.

If they are desperate for a goalie they will.

[Brass]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

Yeah, like the Lightning will go for that one.

If they are desperate for a goalie they will.

Yeah, they'll trade one of their 3 top players for an old useless goalie.

[wheateater]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

Ahhhh....wishful thinking...what a beautiful thing.

Current Leafs Salary Cap Figure (approximate; from TSN.ca): $31,316,600.

Richards, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Thibault, Lindros, Gratton, Carter, and Wesley: $25,000,000.

Still thinking there's no salary cap for Toronto: Priceless.

There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's...

Preferred card of the NHL and fans of dreamers everywhere.

[Neon_Matrix]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

Ahhhh....wishful thinking...what a beautiful thing.

Current Leafs Salary Cap Figure (approximate; from TSN.ca): $31,316,600.

Richards, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Thibault, Lindros, Gratton, Carter, and Wesley: $25,000,000.

Still thinking there's no salary cap for Toronto: Priceless.

There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's...

Preferred card of the NHL and fans of dreamers everywhere.

I said for ONE of the 3...NOT all of them. Here is a better conclusion for your post:

Not being able how to read a post before responding to it: Pathetic

[wheateater]

I say the Leafs trade Belfour to Tampa Bay for either Richards, St. Louis or Vinnie!! And maybe a minor league player too. Then Toronto should trade Berg and Belak to Chicago for Thibault. They better sign Lindros, Gratton, Carter, Wesley, and others too before they are gone.

Ahhhh....wishful thinking...what a beautiful thing.

Current Leafs Salary Cap Figure (approximate; from TSN.ca): $31,316,600.

Richards, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Thibault, Lindros, Gratton, Carter, and Wesley: $25,000,000.

Still thinking there's no salary cap for Toronto: Priceless.

There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's...

Preferred card of the NHL and fans of dreamers everywhere.

I said for ONE of the 3...NOT all of them. Here is a better conclusion for your post:

Not being able how to read a post before responding to it: Pathetic

I know you mentioned just one of the three, but I thought it looked better to list them all rather than "St. Louis OR Richards OR Lecavalier."

Regardless, you still listed 5 more players and added "others" on there, so replace the Lightning guys with who you see fit if you wanna be picky about it.

[ROCHitman]

I just love Leaf fans. They crack me up. Always thinking inside the box with their wishful thinking. They hear a big name and they think THEY have the inside track to sign him or trade for him.

This is hilarious!

Good post wheateater.

[BBTV]

Figured I'd try one of these...

(thx. R.C. for the resources.)

[Neon_Matrix]

I just love Leaf fans. They crack me up. Always thinking inside the box with their wishful thinking. They hear a big name and they think THEY have the inside track to sign him or trade for him.

This is hilarious!

Good post wheateater.

Man, its common sense. We have something they want, a goalie who can preform. Belfour showed it to years ago that while he was pushing 38, he could still preform as an elite goaltender. Now Tampa has no goalie, and their backup...just...sucks. If they want someone they know can gaurd the net, then they would be smart to look at Belfour, even though he does carry a 4.6 million contract with him. I'm pretty sure they will go after Dunham or even Cujo, but if they want a big name who is gaurenteed to play well, then Belfour is their best bet. If you want to hear some wishful thinking, its Detroit getting a good goalie (Cujo, Thibault, or someone else) while being able to sign Datsyuk and Zetterberg. The likelyhood of that happening? Slim to none, they just dont have the money left to do so.

[twi]

I just love Leaf fans.  They crack me up.  Always thinking inside the box with their wishful thinking.  They hear a big name and they think THEY have the inside track to sign him or trade for him.

This is hilarious!

Good post wheateater.

Man, its common sense. We have something they want, a goalie who can preform. Belfour showed it to years ago that while he was pushing 38, he could still preform as an elite goaltender. Now Tampa has no goalie, and their backup...just...sucks. If they want someone they know can gaurd the net, then they would be smart to look at Belfour, even though he does carry a 4.6 million contract with him. I'm pretty sure they will go after Dunham or even Cujo, but if they want a big name who is gaurenteed to play well, then Belfour is their best bet. If you want to hear some wishful thinking, its Detroit getting a good goalie (Cujo, Thibault, or someone else) while being able to sign Datsyuk and Zetterberg. The likelyhood of that happening? Slim to none, they just dont have the money left to do so.

I'd rather have Grahame playing than Belfour, Cujo, or Dunham. You obviously haven't seen him play, he's easily a #1 guy.

[BCBoy]

I just love Leaf fans. They crack me up. Always thinking inside the box with their wishful thinking. They hear a big name and they think THEY have the inside track to sign him or trade for him.

This is hilarious!

Good post wheateater.

GREAT post Wheateater, as for me, I would rather start GRAHAM and KEEP my young talent than trade my talent for an old goalie like Belfour

[CC97]

I just love Leaf fans. They crack me up. Always thinking inside the box with their wishful thinking. They hear a big name and they think THEY have the inside track to sign him or trade for him.

Where did he say that? He was merely stating his hopes... I'm sure anyone here would like to have St Louis, Lecavalier or Richards and the rest that he listed.

I still think it's very fishy that all these teams that were poor for the past decade are suddenly rich rich rich, couldn't keep Weight, Poti, or Cujo but can afford Pronger AND Peca now?

Don't get me started on the "bankrupt" Penguins either.

Give me a break.