2008-2009 NHL Offseason Thread

[Drew22]

Ladies,

Shut the hell up.

Thanks,

The CCSLC

[Neon_Matrix]

To get everyone back on topic, here is a nice treat for y'all!!

[Shane Does Art]

He wouldnt have won it, but Gonchar at least deserved a nomination for the Norris. Perhaps in the place of Chara.

Nah, Chara had a career year and was one of the reasons, along with Thomas, that Boston made the post season. Gonchar wasn't a key cog in Pittsburgh making the playoffs as they had done it last year and did it again this year. I will say that guy is tall, my head just BARELY brushs his shoulders and I'm 6"1 and still felt tiny. Although it does feel good when you are taller than Jason Blake. I will also add Malkin is a LOT bigger in person than I thought he would be. He is built like a TANK!

What? Chara? Absolutely not. Take it from somebody who watched the Bruins mostly the entire season. The B's actually did better WITHOUT Chara in the lineup. He makes a lot of stupid moves in the defensive zone and if I got a nickel for each time he coughed up the puck or made a stupid giveaway, I could probably afford his outrageous and undeserved contract. Tim Thomas was probably the only reason that the Bruins made it to the playoffs. The only good attributes that Zdeno Chara brings to a team is a good, hard shot from the point and the size that he seldom uses.

Other than that, he's not even in my top 30 of current defensemen in the NHL, let alone top 3.

Thats why the Bruins went on a losing streak when he left because his labrum was torn.

Oh, and I'd love to see this top 30 list, should be some quality entertainment.

I just don't see anything valuable that Chara brings to the team, besides his size that he never uses and his shot. I've never really watched him and said "Wow, nice play" or anything remotely close to that. I find myself thinking "Wow, that was an awful play" more than I praise him. That doesn't warrant his $7.5 million per year that he receives.

As for "the list", I'm no JamesCraven, but I can think of a lot of defensemen that I would rather have than Chara. Lidstrom, Bouwmeester, Timonen, Kaberle, Streit, Campbell, Markov, Gonchar, Pronger, Vishnovsky, Phaneuf, Redden, Phillips, Green. It seriously goes on.

As for shanurr, you're just a prick who looks through the forums looking for ways to be sarcastic, or to just be an a-hole. So I don't know if you can be taken that seriously.

Woah now, take it down a notch. Relax, I agreed with what he said and added the chair comment, it's not my fault your a 19 year-old who is constantly talking about all the sports he plays yet had a hissy fit because a 2 year old wouldn't give you a chair for 10 minutes.

I most certainly do not go through the forums on the intention of being an a** , it's split 50/50 people set up situations where I say my opinion, If you think I'm the only guy who has ever been an ass to someone well you might want to look through the forum one more time because basically everyone is an ass at one time or another (especially to the newbies) just as you have been to a few people I'm sure.

I'm only a prick to people I have no respect for.

I don't understand the correlation between the sports I play, how old I am and the incident in the barber shop?

Anyway, you have gone out of your way to be an ass to people and I'm not the first person to notice it. I didn't say or hint that you were the only one who acts like that, but you're certainly promoting yourself as the prime example.

Your taking the first comment too seriously, there have been plenty of people referring to your chair situation, I'm not the only one.

I don't see how I'm going out of my way for anything, your the one who called me a prick because I brought up something that you did that I don't agree with, so if you ask me your the one going out of your way to be an ass. People have noticed that I'm somewhat of an ass but if you go back and check your records, you'll see that most of the time I am provoked by someone else, these things don't come out of nowhere.

So to get back on topic.

I was reading today's paper and they had a few articles on the Hartsburg hiring and if any of his words are a sign of the way he coaches, I;m really optimistic with him behind the bench. He's putting a plan into the player's heads, and they know what to do every night they play, I found last year's Senators were a confused bunch of saps, everyone was trying to do everything and basically guessing what they were to do. Hopefully it can work out well for the Sens.

On another note, I think the leafs are actually going to do rather well this year, not completely because of the coach, but I think there will be some huge off-season move that will really help the leafs. Hopefully this rivalry can get it's passion back.

Neon I'm assuming you attended the awards show, if you did, how was it?

[Lee.]

As for shanurr, you're just a prick who looks through the forums looking for ways to be sarcastic, or to just be an a-hole. So I don't know if you can be taken that seriously.

your the one who called me a prick because I brought up something that you did that I don't agree with WHICH WAS COMPLETELY OFF-TOPIC AND HAD NO BUSINESS BEING BROUGHT UP IN THE THREAD, so if you ask me your the one going out of your way to be an ass. People have noticed that I'm somewhat of an ass but if you go back and check your records, you'll see that most of the time I am provoked by someone else, these things don't come out of nowhere BUT THIS ONE DID COME OUT OF NOWHERE, AND I SHOULD MAN UP, HEAD OVER TO THE PRIVATE MESSAGING CENTRE, AND TAKE UP ANY ISSUES I MIGHT HAVE WITH YOU THERE.

Edited for reality.

Also, "your" is possessive. "You're" = "you are." This is you should have learned in Language Arts class a good 8 to 10 years ago, so get it into your skull already. This goes for anyone who still doesn't have a basic grasp of contractions and the English language.

[Shane Does Art]

As for shanurr, you're just a prick who looks through the forums looking for ways to be sarcastic, or to just be an a-hole. So I don't know if you can be taken that seriously.

your the one who called me a prick because I brought up something that you did that I don't agree with WHICH WAS COMPLETELY OFF-TOPIC AND HAD NO BUSINESS BEING BROUGHT UP IN THE THREAD, so if you ask me your the one going out of your way to be an ass. People have noticed that I'm somewhat of an ass but if you go back and check your records, you'll see that most of the time I am provoked by someone else, these things don't come out of nowhere BUT THIS ONE DID COME OUT OF NOWHERE, AND I SHOULD MAN UP, HEAD OVER TO THE PRIVATE MESSAGING CENTRE, AND TAKE UP ANY ISSUES I MIGHT HAVE WITH YOU THERE.

Edited for reality.

Also, "your" is possessive. "You're" = "you are." This is you should have learned in Language Arts class a good 8 to 10 years ago, so get it into your skull already. This goes for anyone who still doesn't have a basic grasp of contractions and the English language.

I'm sorry, for going off-topic, I'm really not trying to do it, it just happens. I was trying to joke around with him about something else that everyone seemed to joke about, then he called me a prick. I thought it was pretty clear that I was joking around, I guess I should have used the ol' I'm joking but not really smiley.

Also I know your should be you're it's a bad habit I have, I think it's the one thing that has stuck with me from the whole texting fad.

I'm sorry. I'll try not to take things off topic and work on the you're thing.

[Neon_Matrix]

So to get back on topic.

I was reading today's paper and they had a few articles on the Hartsburg hiring and if any of his words are a sign of the way he coaches, I;m really optimistic with him behind the bench. He's putting a plan into the player's heads, and they know what to do every night they play, I found last year's Senators were a confused bunch of saps, everyone was trying to do everything and basically guessing what they were to do. Hopefully it can work out well for the Sens.

On another note, I think the leafs are actually going to do rather well this year, not completely because of the coach, but I think there will be some huge off-season move that will really help the leafs. Hopefully this rivalry can get it's passion back.

Neon I'm assuming you attended the awards show, if you did, how was it?

So, a coach who failed in the NHL twice before and only really made a name for himself with an all-star roster with the best junior players in Canada is expected to turn a disfunctional Ottawa team back into a contender? I'm more than skeptical. I think hes a good man and his heart is in the right place, I just don't believe he has what it takes to make an impact in the NHL. He may talk big now, but once the puck drops in september it will be a completely different story. Yes I have some bias in all of this but realistically, the third time isn't always the charm. Try as he might, grown men are much harder to wrangle than a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds....

My Leafs will finish in the bottom 25. I like Wilson on the bench but we don't have the depth to make a real impact. Trading veterans for youth may help us in the long run but for now I don't think they will be able to carry this team into the post season. I hope to be proven wrong but I just don't see it. I'm a realist.

As for Deboer in Florida, I think he will do a damn good job in turning that team around and running with the flashes of promise they showed last season. As for San Jose, I have no clue what to expect. Hopefully another good playoff run is in the cards but you never know, maybe Wilson made that team over-achieve with their group of underachievers...

I was there in some capacity and I found it fun. Most of the players are very, very nice.

[Shane Does Art]

So to get back on topic.

I was reading today's paper and they had a few articles on the Hartsburg hiring and if any of his words are a sign of the way he coaches, I;m really optimistic with him behind the bench. He's putting a plan into the player's heads, and they know what to do every night they play, I found last year's Senators were a confused bunch of saps, everyone was trying to do everything and basically guessing what they were to do. Hopefully it can work out well for the Sens.

On another note, I think the leafs are actually going to do rather well this year, not completely because of the coach, but I think there will be some huge off-season move that will really help the leafs. Hopefully this rivalry can get it's passion back.

Neon I'm assuming you attended the awards show, if you did, how was it?

So, a coach who failed in the NHL twice before and only really made a name for himself with an all-star roster with the best junior players in Canada is expected to turn a disfunctional Ottawa team back into a contender? I'm more than skeptical. I think hes a good man and his heart is in the right place, I just don't believe he has what it takes to make an impact in the NHL. He may talk big now, but once the puck drops in september it will be a completely different story. Yes I have some bias in all of this but realistically, the third time isn't always the charm. Try as he might, grown men are much harder to wrangle than a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds....

My Leafs will finish in the bottom 25. I like Wilson on the bench but we don't have the depth to make a real impact. Trading veterans for youth may help us in the long run but for now I don't think they will be able to carry this team into the post season. I hope to be proven wrong but I just don't see it. I'm a realist.

As for Deboer in Florida, I think he will do a damn good job in turning that team around and running with the flashes of promise they showed last season. As for San Jose, I have no clue what to expect. Hopefully another good playoff run is in the cards but you never know, maybe Wilson made that team over-achieve with their group of underachievers...

I was there in some capacity and I found it fun. Most of the players are very, very nice.

No doubt about it, but sometimes a coach is only good when he is put in the right situation to flourish. I mean some coaches are great at turning young players into smart 2 way guys, others great at implementing a flawless defensive game. So if what he is saying about every having their role and the whole black and white thing. If they keep Spezza which I hope they do, I think that maybe with Hartsburg he can finally turn into an elite player in the league.

For Florida I think they need to get rid of Jacques I always thought he was a much too picky person to be a GM, I would love nothing more than to see him do well down south and bring some asses into the seats, but I think that team needs to revamp head offices again.

[Neon_Matrix]

So to get back on topic.

I was reading today's paper and they had a few articles on the Hartsburg hiring and if any of his words are a sign of the way he coaches, I;m really optimistic with him behind the bench. He's putting a plan into the player's heads, and they know what to do every night they play, I found last year's Senators were a confused bunch of saps, everyone was trying to do everything and basically guessing what they were to do. Hopefully it can work out well for the Sens.

On another note, I think the leafs are actually going to do rather well this year, not completely because of the coach, but I think there will be some huge off-season move that will really help the leafs. Hopefully this rivalry can get it's passion back.

Neon I'm assuming you attended the awards show, if you did, how was it?

So, a coach who failed in the NHL twice before and only really made a name for himself with an all-star roster with the best junior players in Canada is expected to turn a disfunctional Ottawa team back into a contender? I'm more than skeptical. I think hes a good man and his heart is in the right place, I just don't believe he has what it takes to make an impact in the NHL. He may talk big now, but once the puck drops in september it will be a completely different story. Yes I have some bias in all of this but realistically, the third time isn't always the charm. Try as he might, grown men are much harder to wrangle than a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds....

My Leafs will finish in the bottom 25. I like Wilson on the bench but we don't have the depth to make a real impact. Trading veterans for youth may help us in the long run but for now I don't think they will be able to carry this team into the post season. I hope to be proven wrong but I just don't see it. I'm a realist.

As for Deboer in Florida, I think he will do a damn good job in turning that team around and running with the flashes of promise they showed last season. As for San Jose, I have no clue what to expect. Hopefully another good playoff run is in the cards but you never know, maybe Wilson made that team over-achieve with their group of underachievers...

I was there in some capacity and I found it fun. Most of the players are very, very nice.

No doubt about it, but sometimes a coach is only good when he is put in the right situation to flourish. I mean some coaches are great at turning young players into smart 2 way guys, others great at implementing a flawless defensive game. So if what he is saying about every having their role and the whole black and white thing. If they keep Spezza which I hope they do, I think that maybe with Hartsburg he can finally turn into an elite player in the league.

For Florida I think they need to get rid of Jacques I always thought he was a much too picky person to be a GM, I would love nothing more than to see him do well down south and bring some asses into the seats, but I think that team needs to revamp head offices again.

Spezza = 1 dimensional player. Always was, always will be. All the Ottawa coaches, junior coaches and international coaches couldn't make him play more than just offense who says they can make him do it now? I think he will always be a liability and most likely float around the league one day soon. I'd like to call him a talented bust. Once again, coaches say a lot of stuff but just because they say it it doesn't mean they will be able to make it happen. He may preach that now but there is NO GUARANTEE that he will be able to make it happen. If he is too tough, they'll turn on him and he'll be out of a job quicker than Paddock was. The culture in that club needs an overhaul and a coach isn't the lone remedy. Change of players could help it (not just Emery) but I think this club will be plagued with the 'Tampa syndrom' for years to come, that is, a team of ease where the players dictate how they play and what they should do.

[Eye]

I now know why the NHL is not as good as it used to be and why I am merely a casual fan. Well, actually I have known this for a while.

- The league is terribly run from the top and it starts with the commissioner.

- The lockout did not help at all.

- Fans like Shanurr and Brass.

[Brendan]

To get everyone back on topic, here is a nice treat for y'all!!

As nice as those HUMONGOUS trophies look, there is way too many awards. Get rid of the Lady Byng, Lester Patrick, Williams Jennings, and the stupid lifetime achievement award. And as much as the award show is unique, its so dull and lame the worst part is Ron MacLean, he just rambles on and is incredibly boring. Get someone like Mike Myers to host and make it entertaining, and get rid of the stupid kids.

[Shane Does Art]

I now know why the NHL is not as good as it used to be and why I am merely a casual fan. Well, actually I have known this for a while.

- The league is terribly run from the top and it starts with the commissioner.

- The lockout did not help at all.

- Fans like Shanurr and Brass.

So what is the difference between that and what I'm always accused of doing?

Back to Neon,

I should have chose my words a little better, I didn't really mean a defensive forward, it's more of trying to turn him into a responsible forward and avoid the painful no-look back-passes, and trying to do all the complicated moves when the moment calls for a simple one. No doubt he will always be an offensive-minded guy, I mean that is what we drafted him for.

I'm not saying that this is what will happen, just wishful thinking. I just hope that Hartsburg can make the players want to play, and play well, not for the paycheck, but for the Cup.

One can only hope.

[Neon_Matrix]

To get everyone back on topic, here is a nice treat for y'all!!

As nice as those HUMONGOUS trophies look, there is way too many awards. Get rid of the Lady Byng, Lester Patrick, Williams Jennings, and the stupid lifetime achievement award. And as much as the award show is unique, its so dull and lame the worst part is Ron MacLean, he just rambles on and is incredibly boring. Get someone like Mike Myers to host and make it entertaining, and get rid of the stupid kids.

I have to disagree. I think what makes it so unique is that there are so many different awards. Ronnie Mac isn't THAT bad, its fun to see him let loose and take the spotlight for once. I do agree it should cut a lot of the crap with the kids... but its what makes it so accessible because its targeted towards everyone. The 'Lifetime Achievement Award' is not something that you will see given out annually from what I know. It was made for Howe and will be kept by Howe, unless he chooses to loan it to the HHOF for display for a period of time. This is the NHL awards, not the oscars, things don't have to be THAT serious. Its good to have a little fun.

An award I would like to see is a "comeback player of the year" or "most improved" which I think would be great to award those who had some down years and brought their game back up to their old level or surpassed it. Like Chris Osgood would have won it had the award existed. I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas here.

BTW, those huge trophies are only ever held by the players on a possible 2 occasions, that being a series of photo shoots, otherwise they rest in display cases and in boxes. Only the cup is the exception...

[maz]

An award I would like to see is a "comeback player of the year" or "most improved" which I think would be great to award those who had some down years and brought their game back up to their old level or surpassed it. Like Chris Osgood would have won it had the award existed. I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas here.

As a pens fan, im expected to say a good nominee for an award like that would be Ty Conklin. Conklin was down to being a journeyman backup until Fleury went out. Then, he stepped up and had a career stretch until Fleury came back, and he helped Fleury really improve his game. He proved that he is damn good for a backup and has the ability to maybe be a starter for a team with a top-4 defense (almost like Osgood).

[Wheelhouse]

According to the Tribune Review, Ray Shero informed the Penguins players that re-signing Marian Hossa will be their first priority. All other offseason moves will be dictated by whether or not they can. It seems they'll be testing his claim that he will take a little less to play for a good team.

Rumors also have Ryan Malone negotiating with Columbus. Possibly for FIVE MILLION A YEAR OVER FIVE YEARS. If I'm the Penguins, no way I come close to matching that. If I'm Malone, there's no way I turn that down. This is going to be a very stressful offseason.

[Neon_Matrix]

An award I would like to see is a "comeback player of the year" or "most improved" which I think would be great to award those who had some down years and brought their game back up to their old level or surpassed it. Like Chris Osgood would have won it had the award existed. I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas here.

As a pens fan, im expected to say a good nominee for an award like that would be Ty Conklin. Conklin was down to being a journeyman backup until Fleury went out. Then, he stepped up and had a career stretch until Fleury came back, and he helped Fleury really improve his game. He proved that he is damn good for a backup and has the ability to maybe be a starter for a team with a top-4 defense (almost like Osgood).

See, the thing about Conklin is that he was never a good player. He had potential, but he never came through. I don't think he'd qualify for such an award, although he would for something such as "most improved player" or something of the sort. I'd give credit for Fleury's place to the fact he was a first overall pick and has had years to develop. If he had not shown SOME SIGNS he could play under pressure then you would most likely start to hear that he is a bust. I'd give credit for his improved play to the goaltending coach, and possibly his former mentor, Thibault. Conklin had a stretch of lucky games this season, just like Brian Boucher before him... see what I'm getting at here? You won't see a repeat next season. I don't think he played much of a factor in Fleury raising his game, it was just something he was expected to do eventually. On this note, I have a gut feeling Fleury will struggle for a chunk of next season as most goalies who have had amazing playoff runs have, such as Ward, Giguere (after '03), Emery, Irbe, etc. It is just an inevitable trend... Although the same could be applied to Osgood, lol, without Hasek riding the pine behind him.

Osgood used to be a winner, fell apart, and now returned back to form, thats why he'd be perfect for such an honour. Players who never used to be good and had a lucky season do not count into this equation. Another candidate would be Mike Comrie for being a leading scorer with the Isles or Ed Jovonowski for playing a mostly healthy season for the first time in years or even Khabby who seems to be playing a lot better these days than he did when he first arrived in Chicago.

[Wheelhouse]

Aside from whether Conklin would deserve such an award or not, there's no question that Fleury's puck-handling skills and decision making improved tenfold after watching Conklin play. There's no way of actually knowing how much of it can be attributed directly to Conk, but I'd say that he was as big a part of Fleury's development this year as (Penguins goaltending coach) Giles Miloche, and I'm not the only person who thinks so.

[Neon_Matrix]

On another note, Yashin wants back in the NHL. I guess making 2.2 mill a year for the next 8 years for doing nothing isn't enough, the man wants more money and to play "the sport he loves."

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240773&amp...=headlines_main

Could Alexei Yashin be back with the New York Islanders?

According to Newsday, the Islanders have discussed the possibility of bringing their former captain back for one year after buying out the final four years of his $10 million contract.

Yashin's agent, Marc Gandler told Newday he spoke with Islanders' general manager Garth Snow on Thursday but no agreement was reached.

"We've had discussions," Gandler told Newsday. "But it's been very slow because I told them in the beginning how much I wanted. They're obviously not happy about that. But clearly, they missed him. They didn't have a first line last season."

Last season, centre Mike Comrie led the team in scoring with just 49 points while veteran winger Bill Guerin led the way in goals with 23.

Currently, the Islanders are paying Yashin $2.2 million per year over eight years for a total of more than $17 million. At the time of the buy-out, there were four years remaining on the deal worth $26 million.

Yashin, who is close with Islanders' owner Charles Wang, skated with Yaroslavl of the Russian League last season, scoring 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points. In the playoffs, he added eight goals and six assists in 16 games and was named the best player of the postseason.

Yashin has an offer to re-sign with Yaroslavl so Gandler would like a decision from the Islanders before July 1.

"If we can't get anything soon, we're going to take the offer with Yaroslavl," Gandler told Newsday. "I think they're interested, but I'm not sure they're comfortable with the amount."

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

On another note, Yashin wants back in the NHL. I guess making 2.2 mill a year for the next 8 years for doing nothing isn't enough, the man wants more money and to play "the sport he loves."

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240773&amp...=headlines_main

no, oh god no. please refrain from the temptation of signing yashin. I don't want him no where near the team.

[Neon_Matrix]

On another note, Yashin wants back in the NHL. I guess making 2.2 mill a year for the next 8 years for doing nothing isn't enough, the man wants more money and to play "the sport he loves."

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240773&amp...=headlines_main

no, oh god no. please refrain from the temptation of signing yashin. I don't want him no where near the team.

Knowing my luck, the Leafs will sign him in hopes of sparking Blake...

[NorthStar74]

We dont need to see that whining buttboy Yashin back in the NHL..blah leave him in cold Russia and we can enjoy the peace of not hearing about him complaining and pissing some fans off.. lol...