Sunday Night Wrap Up

So it's been a pretty slow week as expected around the hockey world as most teams begin or end their rookie camps and start to focus on summer instead of hockey for a few weeks before training camps begin in September. It's been a busy work week for me so posting was at a minimum as well but there wasn't anything big missed except for 2 signings.

*-> Derek Morris has signed a 1 year deal worth 3.3$MIL with the Boston Bruins on Friday afternoon right after they dealt Aaron Ward back to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 4th round pick and Patrick Eaves who they tossed on waivers shortly after for the purpose of buying him out. it's been no secret the Bruins love Derrick Morris and have been trying to acquire him since last years trade deadline day. The move gives them another D to help Chara and Wideman with the heavy workload.

*-> The Islander's made yet another mind boggling move this Wednesday by signing goaltender Martin Biron to a one year contract worth 1.4$MIL. This is a really strange move considering they already signed Dwayne Roloson to a 2 year deal and have Rick DiPietro for the next 15 years. It really doesn't make sense for the Isles as they set their future in goal with DiPietro after they signed him to that massive 15 year deal. A buyout now would be ridiculously stupid and costly. They only thing I can think of is that DiPietro who they have stated is on the road to recover and will start to skate next week is actually still injured and this is going to be a long term thing. Insurrence so to speak, but what happens if he's actually healthy? Are they going to ride a 3 goalie tandem or waive most likely Biron. Sometimes I wonder what Snow and Wang are smoking.

*-> After breaking the scoring records in the Slovak Elite league a year after retirement from the world of hockey, Zigmund Palffy is contemplating a return to the NHL. After a phenominal season in Slovakia Palffy hasn't ruled out playing in the NHL again. After retiring in 2006 due to a shoulder injury Palffy unretired a season ago with intent to play out his final days in his home country but things have gone so well he has been feilding several offers from NHL squads. Also several KHL teams have inquired about his services including SKA St. Petersberg but as for NHL rumor has it Long Island is interested in their former draft pick as well as the Oilers and the Phoenix Coyotes. So far no word yet but on a decesion but his agent says a decesion will be made shortly and that Palffy has 100% retracted his statement in which he said he is offically still retired from international play. Thus not ruling out a return for Slovakia at the 2010 games.

*-> Martin Gerber has decided to follow in fellow Sens castoff Ray Emery's footsteps by heading to the KHL after a season of disapointments. Gerber heads to Russia after a signing a deal with Atlant Mytischi. The deal is rumored to be worth 1$MIL for 1 year. Strangely enough Atlant is the same team that Ray Emery signed with during his stint in the KHL. It might be good for Gerber to get away for a big and hopfully return to the NHL next season.

*->In other KHL news several recent NHLer's have taken off to go play in the KHL for the 2009 season as the league gets yet another wave of talent. Radek Bonk of the Nashville Predators has signed a deal with Yaroslav Lokomotiv, F.A Sandis Ozolinsh signed with Dynamo Riga, Tampa Bay goaltending prospect Kari Ramo to Avangard OMSK, Philidelphia Flyer Lasse Kukkonen to Avangard OMSK, Phoenix Desert Dog Michael Tellqvist to Ak Bars Kazan, Tampa Bay's Radek Smolanek to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk and Florida Panther Richard Zednik to Yaroslav Lokomotiv.

This already adds to the several other NHLer's who took off at seasons end already which include Washington Capitol's Sergei Fedorov to Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Victor Kozlov to HC Salavat UFA, Detroit Red Wing Juri Hudler to Dynamo Moscow, Anaheim Duck Petri Kontiola to Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Buffalo Sabre Prospect Marek Zagrapan to Severstal Cherepovets, Colorado's Daniel Tjarnqvist to Lokomotiv Yaroslav, Edmonton Oiler prospect Linus Omark to Dynamo Moscov and Phoenix Coyote Dmitri Kalinen to Salavat UFA.

Robert Lang is rumored to have a deal on the table with a KHL as well as veteran Chris Chelios but both hope to find work in the NHL first. Miroslav Satan has all but signed a deal with Barys Astana as well. Another future KHLer could Marek Malik who has told the media he expects to play in Russia next season if he doesn't recieve an NHL call.

Stay tuned later this week for my weekly article, this week I'll discuss the impact of the KHL on the NHL.

*-> Finally with free agency coming almost to a stand still there are still quite a few free agents looking for work. The next few weeks many of these players will ether end up signing with a club, play the waiting game and attend training camps or start looking for work overseas. some notable names out there are:

F - PJ Axelsson
C - Stephane Yelle
G - Manny Fernandez
F - Maxim Afinogenov
C - Dominic Moore
F - Andrew Peters
D - Teppo Numminen
D - Dennis Seidenberg
C - Robert Lang
F - Alex Tanguay
D - Francois Boullion
D - Patrice Briesbois
D - Mathieu Schneider
F - Brendan Shananhan
G - Kevin Weekes
C - Dean McAmmond
F - Mike Sillinger
G - Joey Macdonald
C - Mike Comrie
F - Petr Sykora
F - Miroslav Satan
D - Phillipe Boucher
D - Marek Malik
F - Brad May
G - Curtis Joseph
G - Olaf Kolzig
F - Rob Niedermayer
F - Todd Bertuzzi
F - Andre Roy
C - Chris Gratton
C - Manny Malholtra
F - Jason Williams
C - Mike Peca
F - Mark Parrish
D - Daryl Sydor
D - Sergei Zubov
F - Darren McCarty
D - Chris Chelios
F - Kyle Calder
D - Denis Gauthier
D - Marc-Andre Bergeron
D - Greg De Vries
D - Dmitri Kalinen
D - Ken Klee
F - Mike Grier
F - Jeremy Roenick
F - Marcel Goc
G - Manny Legace
C - Mats Sundin

Well thats it for tonight but tomorow I'll be back on the rumor front with a couple of good ones and a run down of whats to come on this site for the new season. I've got a few new ideas and I wanna hear some feedback. Everyone whose posting keep it up and everyone whose not start posting! I like the feedback and discussion is key! Night All.