2014 NHL Offseason

[charger77]

Gagner has been flipped to Arizona

[youcan'tseeme]

Gagner and Crombeen for a 6th, bargain deals.

[TBGKon]

This frees up major cap space for the Bolts. I suspect a big FA signing Tuesday, hopefully on D.

[twi]

Free agency will be interesting as a Lightning fan. I'm sure the cap space opened up by removing Purcell/Gagner and Crombeen in these trades is earmarked for another defenseman. It has to be. One more solid D guy and a veteran backup and everything's looking good.

Another case where it's hard to separate the player from the person, personally. While Crombeen was a press box filler here he was one of the guys I got to know and an awesome dude. Hope he finds a spot in Arizona.

[twi]

And now Nate Thompson to the Ducks for some picks. I don't like this one. Not one bit. Of course that may change as we observe what happens on the first but Thompson is a first rate fourth line center and PKer.

[Still MIGHTY]

And now Nate Thompson to the Ducks for some picks. I don't like this one. Not one bit. Of course that may change as we observe what happens on the first but Thompson is a first rate fourth line center and PKer.

And I love it. Really solid pick up. Decent third/great fourth line center, PKer like you said, and face-offs. I love what Bob Murray has done so far this offseason. Addressing areas of need (second line center, defensive centers, face-offs) and getting it done quickly. Great moves and with a good amount of cap space, even with the budget.

Really just need to re-sign the RFAs (which I full expect them to do) and probably make a move to strengthen the defense. (Sbisa's finally shipped out, Souray could possibly retire after not playing last year, and Allen's speed is still a liability.)

[Kramerica Industries]

Thompson csn play third line in a pinch, but you really don't want to do that if you have the choice. But regarding Thompson, he had a nickname here of "Nate Boucher" during Guy Boucher's tenure, referencing his adaptability to different coaching systems (which is necessary for grinders to keep a spot in the league). He's sitting on a cap hit of $1.6M for the next three seasons, which is very reasonable for someone who can, statistically, pot up to about ten goals per season. He was a waiver wire acquisition from the Islanders in February 2010 and ended up working out quite nicely. Either Steve Yzerman wants to replace Thompson's spot from within with Cedric Pacquette, or he's interested in trying to lure Dominic Moore for a second spin of things. Yzerman's clearly trying to free up some cap space, with his flipping Purcell out, and then disposing Gagner on Phoenix Arizona.

Don't be shocked at all if Christian Ehrhoff or Anton Stralman sign with the Lightning come Tuesday. Yzerman has been pretty proactive about shoring up the blueline on this team, both short-term and long-term, to this point in the off-season and there is still one hole that exists:

Hedman-

Carle-Garrison

Gudas-Brewer

Ex. Barberio

Matt Niskanen would be a really good fit in the sense that he's a RHD, but I really won't like that contract should he sign here, so lets not do that.

[charger77]

Montreal trades Daniel Briere to Colorado for PA Parenteau.

[TorinK92]

Volchenkov's set to be bought out by the Devils.

A very small piece of me wants to see the Sens get him back on the cheap, but I know that'll never work out.

[The_Admiral]

This from noted dumbass Lambert today:

The Senators, cash-strapped as they seem to be these days, would no doubt love to move that contract, but they can't. Spezza's conditions aren't easy to meet: No Canada, contenders only (this sentence is redundant, by the way).

But I'm not concerned with dumbass Lambert this time. Is it just me or do Canadian players loathe playing for teams located in Canada? This seems all too typical. No wonder you guys go so nuts over the stupid Olympics; it's the only time Canadian players want to represent a Canadian team! They sure as hell don't want to professionally, especially Team Canada's erstwhile captain who threatened to quit his job for the rest of his life rather than play for a Winnipeg organization. Just once, once, I want to see a top free agent sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs because he wants to play on the biggest stage, under the brightest lights, where winning the Stanley Cup would make him an immortal. But no, these guys run away to hide, I mean play in Dallas and Anaheim and so forth. Great places to raise a family! Seems like all these Good Canadian Boys aren't Canadian when it counts. That the Leafs and Habs not only languish in the trade/UFA market but often aren't invited to the market in the first place makes a travesty of the league, and for once, you can't blame the league.

[Kramerica Industries]

I feel like we've had something like this discussion before. If we haven't had it, then the logic behind another conversation like this also works here --> local medias.

Like, why would you want to be that big-name signing in Toronto when there's going to be heaps of pressure piled on to you, and when the team comes up short because it's run by idiots, coached by idiots, and filled with substandard talent, the blame is invariably going to be placed on you, the big-name signing? Hell, even before David Clarkson went belly-up in Toronto, there were already Wendel Clark comparisons to him. I'm no expert on the Leafs, I guess, but I do know that Wendel Clark is a hero to much of that fanbase; him and Dougie Gilmour, basically. David Clarkson has no means by which he can measure up to Wendel Clark's standard, or anything resembling it.

It sucks, because the last thing the NHL needs is two hallowed markets being this way (and we've seen that it's not much better in the non-O6 Canadian markets, either). From how I see it, the media markets essentially help to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

--

On a slightly related note, you know what I find curious? In the NBA thread the other day, somebody (I believe Nyk33) said that one of the biggest reasons American-born players tend to avoid Toronto is because playing in Canada results in having to pay taxes to two governments instead of one. With that in mind, wouldn't it essentially be the same thing in the NHL, then? There are plenty of Americans on Canadian teams, and plenty more Canadians on the American teams.

[spartacat_12]

Free agency will be interesting as a Lightning fan. I'm sure the cap space opened up by removing Purcell/Gagner and Crombeen in these trades is earmarked for another defenseman. It has to be. One more solid D guy and a veteran backup and everything's looking good.

I've heard some rumblings about Yzerman talking to Brodeur. I think he would be a good fit. There's the Team Canada connection and Tampa would definitely like to have a guy who can step in if Bishop happens to get injured again. I know Marty probably wants to go somewhere and be a starter, but that just isn't in the cards for him anymore, especially with Miller and Hiller entering the free market tomorrow. With so many teams opting to go with young tandems and 1A/1B situations (Edmonton, Anaheim, St. Louis, Carolina, Washington), there doesn't seem to be much of a market for true starters. The only teams seemingly looking for a #1 are Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Buffalo.

[The Six]

Looking at Canucks message boards their fans really despise Kesler now. It'll be fun playing them up there now. It's like Pronger all over again!

[FGM13]

I'm gonna miss Gagner, and I feel bad for him, having to play in Phoenix Arizona. Also, I'm not totally sure what we're doing for 2nd line centre. Draisaitl can play there, but I'd like a bit of insurance in case of inconsistency or something. But Purcell's a nice return, he would do fine on the 3rd line to replace Smyth.

[BigBubba]

Leafs use a regular buyout on Tim Gleason.

He was kinda overpaid, but he actually held his own last year. I'm fine with paying a little extra for a guy who's remotely competent in his own end on a team that's so bereft of players like that. What a Nonis thing to do.

This likely means the Leafs will go after Erhoff/Ehrhoff (spelling?) or Boyle.

[twi]

Free agency will be interesting as a Lightning fan. I'm sure the cap space opened up by removing Purcell/Gagner and Crombeen in these trades is earmarked for another defenseman. It has to be. One more solid D guy and a veteran backup and everything's looking good.

I've heard some rumblings about Yzerman talking to Brodeur. I think he would be a good fit. There's the Team Canada connection and Tampa would definitely like to have a guy who can step in if Bishop happens to get injured again. I know Marty probably wants to go somewhere and be a starter, but that just isn't in the cards for him anymore, especially with Miller and Hiller entering the free market tomorrow. With so many teams opting to go with young tandems and 1A/1B situations (Edmonton, Anaheim, St. Louis, Carolina, Washington), there doesn't seem to be much of a market for true starters. The only teams seemingly looking for a #1 are Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Buffalo.

I sincerely hope not. I also doubt it. Brodeur has no chance at being the #1 here, something he is looking for.

[OMMF]

Free agency will be interesting as a Lightning fan. I'm sure the cap space opened up by removing Purcell/Gagner and Crombeen in these trades is earmarked for another defenseman. It has to be. One more solid D guy and a veteran backup and everything's looking good.

I've heard some rumblings about Yzerman talking to Brodeur. I think he would be a good fit. There's the Team Canada connection and Tampa would definitely like to have a guy who can step in if Bishop happens to get injured again. I know Marty probably wants to go somewhere and be a starter, but that just isn't in the cards for him anymore, especially with Miller and Hiller entering the free market tomorrow. With so many teams opting to go with young tandems and 1A/1B situations (Edmonton, Anaheim, St. Louis, Carolina, Washington), there doesn't seem to be much of a market for true starters. The only teams seemingly looking for a #1 are Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Buffalo.

I sincerely hope not. I also doubt it. Brodeur has no chance at being the #1 here, something he is looking for.

He is? Everything I've seen has said he knows he would be in a backup role.

[Kevin W.]

Spezza to Dallas along with Ludwig Karlsson for Alex Chiasson, Nicholas Paul and Alexander Guptill and a second-round draft pick in 2015.

[Kramerica Industries]

The troll headlines on that deal better have read "Spezza and Karlsson dealt to Dallas". Talk about a great way to spoil Canada Day for Sens fans!

[The_Admiral]

NOW THEY WILL MOVE TO HARTFORD!