2008-2009 NHL Offseason Thread

[DEAD!]

He is gonna stay in Toronto?

[/Canadian Bacon reference]

Surrender pronto, or we'll level Toronto!

[jkrdevil]

1. I think there has to be a cap on the length of contracts - 6 years MAX.

2. I feel that the salary cap has become a joke and is not doing what it was meant to in the first place - allow every team to pay a max 6 million on a player so everyone has a shot.

3. Allow teams to buy out players and have it no result in a cap hit.

1. Signing long-term deals is a beneficial aspect of the cap. It'll control yearly salaries, to a degree.

The salary cap will become a joke if there's no consequence to cancelling a contract. The cap's gone from $39 million to $56 million (the proposed figure I heard/read somewhere) in a span of 36 months....way too big of an increas in such a short time. Now if the NHL's making a lot of money, then I can approve of this cap raise, but the general perception is that they aren't. The cap gets raised to appease the Torontos and Detroits and Philadelphias and New Yorks who routinely turn a profit. There has to be a deterrant to signing insane deals and cancelling them well before they expire and face no consequences.

Of course, when the salary cap raises, so does the salary basement. This forces the Nashvilles and Atlantas and others to spend a certain amount in order to not face penalties. This forces these teams to spend when they most likely can't afford to spend that much.

Well the cap is officially set 56.7 million.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&a...rticleid=367073

While the cap has gone up it isn't going up to appease Toronto's, Detroit's, ect. Again there is no one specifically setting a cap it's done by a set formula that's in the CBA based on a audited revenue report. No one in the league office can stop the cap from going up if total revenues are going up.

The big issue in the dramatic increase in the cap the last two years is the rise of the Canadian dollar versus the US dollar. The league numbers are in US dollars so the 6 Canadian teams are taking in Canadian dollars and there revenue reports for the cap are being translated into US dollars. Given that the Canadian dollar has increased that means even if the 6 Canadian teams don't increase their revenue it gets put down as a increase when translated into US dollars because of the exchange rate. Put that on top of inflation and general increase of revenues, which is to be expected and teams need to keep pace with, and you get the dramatic rise in the cap. If/when the US dollar strengthens I think we will see a more stable cap or maybe even it drop a bit.

As for not having penalties for buying out a bad contract I agree that basically makes the cap useless.

[NEW.ERA]

Flames waived Warrener, Eriksson and Nilson

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=241717&lid...=headlines_main

Sad to see Nilson get waived, seeing he had a pretty good World Championship

[youcan'tseeme]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

[ferrousoxide66]

Meanwhile, Ducks owner Samueli under suspension for being a lying crook.

Yet Balsillie's too evil for this league, right?

While Samueli is a criminal (and I don't think he should be part of NHL ownership anymore) he has not threaten to challenge league rules the way Balsillie did. Balsillie failed to comply with the rules in the process of trying to buy the Predators, he made it clear with the ticket drive in Hamilton that he wanted to move the team into 2 teams' territory, and hinted he would not be willing pay territory fees to the Leafs and Sabres by bringing in the Canadian Competition Bureau to review the leagues constitution. Geez, the guy is is already challenging league rules before he is even an owner. Can't see why they may not want him in the league. When you are trying to join an organization going in and challenging the way it works probably isn't the best way to be accepted into that organization.

BTW regarding to another post I don't know if it has been mentioned but that Bowman to Chicago story is just more bull garbage from hockeybuzz.com.

And in another story Lecavier putting on the finishing touches on a 9-year 77mil with a NMC with the Lightning.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=241633&lid...s=topStory_main

I can't imagine why Balsillie is still considered to be a worse owner than say a Samueli or a Boots Del Biaggio. He wants to move, that's clear. But with his unlimited coffers and willingness to spend for his team, how is that not a better owner to ally with than some crook that may or may not have the funds anymore to effectively compete and compete well?

Al Davis has made a career of challenging the status quo. And up until his recent senility and dotage, you could say he was damn good for the league.

[jkrdevil]

Meanwhile, Ducks owner Samueli under suspension for being a lying crook.

Yet Balsillie's too evil for this league, right?

While Samueli is a criminal (and I don't think he should be part of NHL ownership anymore) he has not threaten to challenge league rules the way Balsillie did. Balsillie failed to comply with the rules in the process of trying to buy the Predators, he made it clear with the ticket drive in Hamilton that he wanted to move the team into 2 teams' territory, and hinted he would not be willing pay territory fees to the Leafs and Sabres by bringing in the Canadian Competition Bureau to review the leagues constitution. Geez, the guy is is already challenging league rules before he is even an owner. Can't see why they may not want him in the league. When you are trying to join an organization going in and challenging the way it works probably isn't the best way to be accepted into that organization.

BTW regarding to another post I don't know if it has been mentioned but that Bowman to Chicago story is just more bull garbage from hockeybuzz.com.

And in another story Lecavier putting on the finishing touches on a 9-year 77mil with a NMC with the Lightning.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=241633&lid...s=topStory_main

I can't imagine why Balsillie is still considered to be a worse owner than say a Samueli or a Boots Del Biaggio. He wants to move, that's clear. But with his unlimited coffers and willingness to spend for his team, how is that not a better owner to ally with than some crook that may or may not have the funds anymore to effectively compete and compete well?

Al Davis has made a career of challenging the status quo. And up until his recent senility and dotage, you could say he was damn good for the league.

And if the NFL could have kicked Al Davis out they would have. Also many owners do not like other others who spend large amounts of money on players as it helps drive out salaries. But that is besides the point because the issue here isn't how the team is and would do on the ice. That is irrelevant.

Your looking at it from fans' perspective, not an owner of a another teams perspective. Hypothetically you own the Maple Leafs, a large chunk of your teams value comes from the market it is in and being the only team in the Souther Ontario region. Now someone comes in and wants to try and buy a team and move into your territory furthermore they have indicated they are not willing to pay you anything they are going to challenge the leagues rules so they can move in for nothing. That's going to take a chunk out of your franchise value as well as maybe take a little out of your TV rights because there is now more of a supply in local NHL games. You probably don't want that person to be able to buy the team?

Now let's say you are the Buffalo Sabres. You are in the smallest of small markets. As a result you have to keep your ticket price comparatively low. You sell out every game but because tickets are comparatively cheap and you are in a small market so you have little tv money coming in you barely make a profit and with rising player cost you may not in a few years. While it's a minority it is still a somewhat substantial portion (10-15% the last I saw) of your ticket base comes from just across the border from Southern Ontario. Now a team wants to move into that area and again will try to force it's way in without paying territorial fees which could get costly for them. As such you the Sabres get $0 from them. Now because of that new team you are likely to lose most of that 10-15% of your ticket base and that may jeopardize your profits and may hurt your franchises long term future in Buffalo. Do you want that person to be able to buy in and move the team? No.

Not surprising both teams current ownership groups have said no way to a team in Hamilton at some point in the past. Golisano indicated that a Hamilton team would unaccepted to CBC this past year, while MLSE president Richard Peddie was quoted back in 2003 when Balsillie put in a bid to buy Sens and move them to Hamilton that a team in Hamilton would be unacceptable.

Further more if Balsillie were to sue the league and force his way into Hamilton without having to make an agreement with the Leafs and Sabres it would have far ranging and negative consequences for all teams in the league. While the Samueli and Boots (especially) stuff is serious and embarrassing for the league, I don't think they have the long term consequences as allowing Balsillie in and having him possible force his way into another teams' territory has.

[Jer15]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

Ha, ha ha.

Well I'm with you buddy...but the big word is Sundin is New York Rangers bound, or at least according to the Bobcat from the Fan.

It'll change next week i'm sure.

[Spezza19]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

Ha, ha ha.

Well I'm with you buddy...but the big word is Sundin is New York Rangers bound, or at least according to the Bobcat from the Fan.

It'll change next week i'm sure.

Sundin isn't coming back to Toronto next season, he's done with them, and leaf fans should get over him and start gearing up for the future.

I'm not saying this as a Senators fan I'm saying this as a hockey fan

[Jer15]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

Ha, ha ha.

Well I'm with you buddy...but the big word is Sundin is New York Rangers bound, or at least according to the Bobcat from the Fan.

It'll change next week i'm sure.

Sundin isn't coming back to Toronto next season, he's done with them, and leaf fans should get over him and start gearing up for the future.

I'm not saying this as a Senators fan I'm saying this as a hockey fan

I know.

That's exactly what i'm saying. I wouldn't come back either, if I was him.

[youcan'tseeme]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

Ha, ha ha.

Well I'm with you buddy...but the big word is Sundin is New York Rangers bound, or at least according to the Bobcat from the Fan.

It'll change next week i'm sure.

Sundin isn't coming back to Toronto next season, he's done with them, and leaf fans should get over him and start gearing up for the future.

I'm not saying this as a Senators fan I'm saying this as a hockey fan

What is this supposed to mean? I take a shot at the Senators, he laughs and you come to conclussion that we're not over Sundin leaving? I've been over it for quite some time, as long as it's not to Montreal as I stated above.

Next time when making a point about something don't quote people who are not disagreeing with your with you.

[Brass]

Anders Eriksson, Rhett Warrener and Marcus Nilsson were all placed on waivers by the Calgary Flames.

[youcan'tseeme]

Andrew Raycroft will be bought out of the final year of his contract. According to TSN.

[Spezza19]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

Ha, ha ha.

Well I'm with you buddy...but the big word is Sundin is New York Rangers bound, or at least according to the Bobcat from the Fan.

It'll change next week i'm sure.

Sundin isn't coming back to Toronto next season, he's done with them, and leaf fans should get over him and start gearing up for the future.

I'm not saying this as a Senators fan I'm saying this as a hockey fan

What is this supposed to mean? I take a shot at the Senators, he laughs and you come to conclussion that we're not over Sundin leaving? I've been over it for quite some time, as long as it's not to Montreal as I stated above.

Next time when making a point about something don't quote people who are not disagreeing with your with you.

The reason I put quotes around it is because you were talking about Sundin, and I wanted to put my opinion in on Sundin.

[youcan'tseeme]

So long as it's not with Montreal!

So you're okay with him doing so in the nation's capital?

We're talking about contenders here mate.

Ha, ha ha.

Well I'm with you buddy...but the big word is Sundin is New York Rangers bound, or at least according to the Bobcat from the Fan.

It'll change next week i'm sure.

Sundin isn't coming back to Toronto next season, he's done with them, and leaf fans should get over him and start gearing up for the future.

I'm not saying this as a Senators fan I'm saying this as a hockey fan

What is this supposed to mean? I take a shot at the Senators, he laughs and you come to conclussion that we're not over Sundin leaving? I've been over it for quite some time, as long as it's not to Montreal as I stated above.

Next time when making a point about something don't quote people who are not disagreeing with your with you.

The reason I put quotes around it is because you were talking about Sundin, and I wanted to put my opinion in on Sundin.

Then state that next time please. When you quote two Leafs fans talking and say that Leafs fans need to get over Mats leaving, does it not appear as though your speaking of them?

Sorry for the mix up, but specify a little more next time.

[Brendan]

Todd Bertuzzi has been been placed on waivers. If it wasn't for his huge contract I wouldn't mind seeing him come back to Van.

[Cujo]

Todd Bertuzzi has been been placed on waivers. If it wasn't for his huge contract I wouldn't mind seeing him come back to Van.

My hope is that the NHL is completely done with this has-been.

What goes around, comes around, a**hole!

[HedleyLamarr]

Todd Bertuzzi has been been placed on waivers. If it wasn't for his huge contract I wouldn't mind seeing him come back to Van.

My hope is that the NHL is completely done with this has-been.

What goes around, comes around, a**hole!

No kidding.

That er shouldn't have been allowed to play until Moore was deemed "medically healthy" to play in the NHL by impartial doctors. If Moore never gets that clearance, then Bertuzzi is out of luck.

[Brass]

Todd Bertuzzi has been been placed on waivers. If it wasn't for his huge contract I wouldn't mind seeing him come back to Van.

My hope is that the NHL is completely done with this has-been.

What goes around, comes around, a**hole!

No kidding.

That er shouldn't have been allowed to play until Moore was deemed "medically healthy" to play in the NHL by impartial doctors. If Moore never gets that clearance, then Bertuzzi is out of luck.

I agree 100%. I feel that in most cases the person who laid a cheap hit should be suspended until his victim is deemed physically and mentally prepared to play the game.

[Neon_Matrix]

You people make it sound like Todd Bertuzzi is the only person in sports history to ever do something stupid which resulted in someone else being injured. There have been worse actions taken by players who never get as much publicity as he did for this, and in some situations, what others had done were worse.

[Brass]

You people