*-> RDS is reporting Alex Tanguay has signed a multi year deal with the Florida Panthers. More to come on this one.
*-> RFA Kari Lehtonen of the Atlanta Thrashers has resigned with the club who drafted him in 2002 2nd overall.
*-> The Phoenix Coyotes have lost forward Nigel Dawes to the Calgary Flames via waivers today. Dawes RFA status and hearing still applys to Calgary unless he is resigned by Wednesday.
Showing posts with label Calgary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calgary. Show all posts
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Ice Scoopz: Friday Evening
*-> Montreal has resigned Hamilton Bulldog captain Kyle Chipchura to a one year deal.
*-> Buffalo Sabres has signed defenseman Joe Dipienta to a 1 year deal.
*-> The Flames have added some toughness and a legitimate enforcer to their line up by adding Brian McGratton. The deal is rumored to be a 1year deal 450K$
*-> Buffalo Sabres has signed defenseman Joe Dipienta to a 1 year deal.
*-> The Flames have added some toughness and a legitimate enforcer to their line up by adding Brian McGratton. The deal is rumored to be a 1year deal 450K$
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Ice Scoopz: Tuesday Early Evening
A lots going down currently so heres the latest...
*-> Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadians has announced he is heading to free agency tomorow. His agent said Montreal's offers so far have been sub par and he'd like to still remain with the Canadian's but would still like to test the water to see whats avaliable first. This comes as disapointing news to Habs fans as Montreal will most likely not retain his services. The New York Islanders and the Ottawa Senators are rumored to be interested.
*-> The Calgary Flames have solidified their backend for years! Marquee free agent Jay Bouwmeester has officially signed a 5 year deal worth 6.6Mil$ per season. The Flames acquired Jay Bouwmeester's rights at the draft this past Friday from the Florida Panthers for Jordon Leopold, and a 3rd round pick which Josh Berkholtz was selected with. This could be bad news for the Flames free agents as they are struggling with the cap and may need to clear more salary.
*-> Chris Neil has turned down an offer worth 1.7$Mil this evening from the Ottawa Senators. the rugged winger is reportedly asking for a raise of 2.5$Mil for several years which Ottawa is reluctant to put on the table. Neil is a wanted commodity out West and could easily meet his demands through free agency. The San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild are expected to make offers come 12pm tomorrow.
*-> Jere Lehtinen the veteran winger of the Dallas Stars has accepted an offer of 1.5$Mil plus over a million in bonuses to keep him in Dallas for yet another year. Truly a steal for the Stars as Lehtinen is one of the best two-way forwards around and if he stays healthy makes an instant impact.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Ice Scoopz: Heatley Rumors Heating Up
*-> As Many Ottawa fans anxiously and patiently await to see who may replace their star winger , GM Bryan Murray continues to work the phones. The Heatley Trade Countdown has begun as each day draws closer to the NHL Entry Draft next Friday and with July 1st Free Agency also creeping up. The rumors are heating up as most analysts believe Bryan Murray will trade Heater before the July 1st free agency period. Why? Because it only makes perfect sense. If the Sens decided to stupidly wait past July 1st they will be forced to pay Heatley a 4 Million$ bonus which although doesn't effect the cap it does however cost the team a large sum for someone who doesn't want to play there. Another key point is that Heatleys 7.5$ MIL salary could be used to lure in an impact free agent and we all know that most of the big names are gone within a two week period. So why would Bryan Murray wait to move Heatley? He's not. Realistically the GM would love to get rid of Heatley before or during the draft so not only could they get an impact player but also a draft pick in return. It isn't all positive for the Sens ether. Because Heatley decided to leak his trade request to the media he has handicapped Bryan Murray. Murray's fellow GM's now know Heatley wants out and the Sens are going to be forced to deal him quickly because of July 1st and the Draft. This should lower his price just a little. On top Heatley has a no movement clause which allows Heatley to choose his destination, so Heatley goes only where Heatley wants. Another discount. Finally Heatleys massive contract will have to be absorbed somehow and the Sens will almost certainly be asked to take cap space in return. thus reducing Heatley's value even more. So that's what we know so far.
What will Bryan Murray be able to do? Where will Heatley land? Who will Ottawa get? We know that Heatley would realistically like to play out West so the Western conference is most likely where he'll end up. If they did manage to swing a deal in the East we do know that "career stop" Ottawa, and "memory lane" Atlanta are out of the picture. Today Brian Burke of the Toronto Maple Leaf's said his club will 100% be out of the Heatley trade due to the way Heatley handled himself during this whole mess. Count T-dot out. The rumored teams so far have been Vancouver who most likely will lose their only offence the Sedins, The Calgary Flames, The Edmonton Oilers, and the LA Kings.
The Vancouver Canucks are in a dangerous situation in which they might lose 75% of their offence come July 1st. The Sedins don't appear to be happy with the offers so far made by the Canucks. This leaves Vancouver with a very large hole to fill on an already offence dry team. Heatley would be an instant fix and would cost less than resigning both Sedins. The rumored player to be traded in return is Loungo which personally I find ridiculous. Why would they deal a franchise goalie and the captain? I say the more likely scenario is Ottawa gets Michael Grabner or Jannick Hansen and their 1st or 2nd in this years draft. They mad be out an impact player now but they restock their system with a pretty decent prospect and a late 1st round pick before going out on July 1st and spending that 7.5$ MIL without having to worry about any trade back salary.
The Calgary Flames also have been mentioned several times mainly I believe because Alberta is Heatleys home province. Heatley for Phaneuf is the on going rumor in the hockey world but like the Vancouver rumor, I highly doubt Calgary would part with such an impact defenseman who is likely going to be a cornerstone in their franchise for years to come. It doesn't make sense. Also Calgary has major cap issues and would love to resign Mike Camalleri. Unless Ottawa is willing to take Olli Jokinen and Corey Sarich's salaries in return this deal won't work. It doesn't make sense for Ottawa as they already have a number one center and several aging old style NHL defenseman as it is.
The Edmonton Oilers another Alberta connection team could have what it takes to get a deal done with Ottawa. They have been seeking a star player for quite sometime and a hometown player would be sure to put the fans over. Rumor has it that Edmonton has a deal on the table that includes Sheldon Souray, Gilbert Brule and Patrick O'Sullivan for Heater. Another name being thrown about is defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky. Ottawa would really love to have that powerplay quarterback and their salaries would almost offset but I think Ottawa is looking for a player for the top line and secondary scoring before they touch defensemen. Edmonton also has struggling should have been star Robbie Shremp and most likely bust Gilbert Brule they may be able to toss in as a throw in to per sway Murray.
L.A is another interesting scenario which has been all over the media just simply because they have a deep talent pool of prospects and a boatload of cap space. The deal rumored so far is Alexander Frolov and this years 2nd for Heatley. It's a decent trade but I think Ottawa is looking for something else like a throw in or a prospect to weigh the scales a little better. Ted Purcell should be the prospect is after but defenseman Vyacheslav Voinov is the more likely prospect to be thrown in due to LA's defensive logjam.
Later tonight I'll have a few more rumored destinations as the evenings usual Ice Scoopz and a recapped of yesterdays news.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Trade Catch-Up!
*->The Toronto Maple Leafs acquire injured goalie Olaf Kolzig, defenseman Jaime Heward, defenseman Andy Rogers, and a 4th round pick in exchange for prospect Richard Petiot from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
*->Carolina trades Justin Williams for a 2nd round pick and Patrick O'Sullivan from the Kings.
*-Edmonton trades Erik Cole back to the Carolina Hurricanes for forward Patrick O'Sullivan and a 2nd round draft pick.
*->Edmonton trades the 2nd round pick to Buffalo for Ales Kotalik.
*-> San Jose trades prospect Nick Bonino, goalie Timo Pielmeier, and a conditional draft pick to Anaheim for Travis Moen and defenseman Kent Huskins.
*-> Chicago trades defenseman James Wisniewski for Samuel Pahlsson from the Anaheim Ducks.
*-> Philly trades their 6th round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for Kyle McLaren.
*-> Calgary trades goaltender Kevin Lalonde to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 4th round draft pick.
*->Tampa Bay trades Steve Eminger to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Noah Welch and a 3rd round.
*->Carolina trades Justin Williams for a 2nd round pick and Patrick O'Sullivan from the Kings.
*-Edmonton trades Erik Cole back to the Carolina Hurricanes for forward Patrick O'Sullivan and a 2nd round draft pick.
*->Edmonton trades the 2nd round pick to Buffalo for Ales Kotalik.
*-> San Jose trades prospect Nick Bonino, goalie Timo Pielmeier, and a conditional draft pick to Anaheim for Travis Moen and defenseman Kent Huskins.
*-> Chicago trades defenseman James Wisniewski for Samuel Pahlsson from the Anaheim Ducks.
*-> Philly trades their 6th round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for Kyle McLaren.
*-> Calgary trades goaltender Kevin Lalonde to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 4th round draft pick.
*->Tampa Bay trades Steve Eminger to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Noah Welch and a 3rd round.
Trade! Jokinen To Flames
* Olli Jokinen goes from the Coyotes to the Flames for Mathew Lombardi, Brandon Prust and a 1st round draft pick this year.
Trade! Leopold to Calgary
Jordan Leopold To the Calgary Flames from Colorado. Lawerance Nycholat, and MTL's 2nd round pick and prospect Ryan Wilson.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
The Calgary Flames Deadline Review
Calgary - NorthWest Division - 3rd - 80pts
Total Salary = $54,049,167
Cap Space = $2,650,833
The Plot:
The offense starved Flames have been on top of the Western Conference since day one despite not being able to score. The Flames rely on strong defensive play and goaltending to win games. Franchise player Jarome Iginla carrys much of the offensive load on his shoulders as per usual and Mike Cammalleri contributes the rest while leading the team in goals with 32. Todd Bertuzzi is still a force in front of the net and center Daymond Langkow contributes while playing a solid two-way game. Rene Bourque has finally found a home and also found his scoring touch teams saw in his junior career. Craig Conroy adds offensive depth at center to round out the top two lines. In the back half the Flames have found sucess with Mathew Lombardi, David Moss and Calgary native Curtis Glencross. There 4th line however isn't what it should be but still provides the toughness you need to survive the West with Andre Roy enforcing. The rest of the line depends on the night with Dustin Boyd, Brandon Prust, Wayne Primeau, and Eric Nystrom all seeing time. Not exactly the shut down line of a champion.
On the backend the Flames would like to see more of a powerplay presence and a little more defensive work. However it still is a good group anchored by Dion Phaneuf who plays all situations and has any forward coming in their zone keeping their heads up. Robyn Regehr provides a defensive presence but hasn't been what the Flames expected this season. Adrian Aucoin has turned his career around and shown there is life after his Chicago career. Cory Sarich has been a nice presence on the blueline and helps guide the youth on the team. Mark Gordiano and Adam Pardy round out the defensive squad while James Vandermeer steps in when asked to fill in as the 7th D or add toughness.
As for the Flames goaltending it can be summed up by one man, Miikka Kiprusoff. He has been the reason why the Flames have stayed competitive since that awful trade for San Jose. He can steal a game in any given night but at the same time if he doesn't show nether does his teamates. The Kipper has played in 57 games so far and it doesn't look like he's going to get a break with Curtis McElhinney being incompetitent at the NHL level with no wins in 6 starts. Clearly the Flames need to find Kiprusoff some help.
Major Injuries:
D Rhett Warrener - Most likely out till end of season with a shoulder injury.
C Wayne Primeau - Out till playoffs with a broken bone in his foot.
D Mark Giordano - 2 to 3 weeks with an undisclosed upper body injury.
LW Rene Bourque - Out for a month with a high ankle sprain.
Key Prospects:
1. C Mikael Backlund - Kelowna Rockets WHL
2. D Keith Aulie - Brandon Wheat Kings WHL
3. RW Greg Nemisz - Windsor Spitfires OHL
4. C Mitch Wahl - Spokane Chiefs WHL
5. G Leland Irving - Quad City Flames AHL
6. G Matt Keetley - Las Vegas Wranglers
Players On The Block:
D Robyn Regehr - Regehr's time in Calgary may be coming to an end if they can find another solution on defense. Although he is not regarded as an offensive defenseman the Flames brass would like to see him step up a bit more. His cost at 4$MIL per season also holds the Flames back this summer when they expect to upgrade their offense. A defensely challenged team may bite and over pay this deadline if the Flames decide to shop him.
C Mathew Lombardi - The Flames have given Mathew Lombardi enough time to show what he can do and it appears Lombardi is destined to play on the third line. It may be time to time to let go and try and catch another team sleeping. If the Flames need a throw in to a deal expect Lombardi to be the guy.
Team Wants/Needs:
The Flames main want is another body who can help put the puck in the back of the net. The Flames would like someone who can bring some life to the 2nd line especially now that Rene Bourque is going to be out for quite a bit of time. The other want or should I say need is a backup goalie that can shoulder the load incase Miikka Kiprusoff goes down and someone who can also give him a much needed rest.
Possible Targets:
G Curtis Joseph - Joseph is not the ideal target for the Flames but hes a familiar one. He played for the Flames this time last season and did alright. He's by far not a number one anymore and his days are counting down but he can still provide a save or two at a discount price. The Leafs would likely trade him for next to nothing and hes a UFA this summer so no hangovers.
C Nik Antropov - The Leafs wont part with Antropov for less than a 1st round and they'll be a lot of bidders so this is highly unlikely but Antropov could be the guy to put the Iginla, Cammalleri line over the top and push Langkow on to the 2nd line to give some help. He'll be hard to acquire as his stock keeps rising.
G Scott Clemmensen - Clemmensen carried the Devil's the entire time Brodeur was out and this is exactly the kind of guy that the Flames want behind Kipper incase an injury goes down. The Devil's already have Weekes and Brodeur it's highly unlike they'll keep the three of them and I highly doubt Brodeur is not going anywhere and Weekes wont ether with his play and pay.
LW - Gary Roberts - Roberts would give an there 4th line an instant punch and experience upgrade. It might not be the role Roberts would expect but he'd definately fill it perfectly. I'm sure if given the ice time on a second line he'd be able to contribute in a playoff run. Remember Roberts once called Cowtown home and won a cup there.
D Derek Morris - The Flames once drafted Morris and would definately welcome him back as they are rumored to be putting a package together for the Coyotes. Morris as a tough presence but also can quarterback a powerplay and give Phaneuf some needed help. Whether or not Morris would like to return to Calgary that's another story.
G Antero Niittymaki - If the Flyers are going to need to clear some cap space to bring in Kari Lehtonen it looks like Niittymaki will be the guy moved out of Philly. He's proved he can be a number one but needs a change of scenery as Philly is clearly unhappy with their goaltending team. Biron's got a no trade so Niittymaki is the odd man out. Calgary would love to have a guy like Niitymaki as Kipper's backup.
C Olli Jokinen - The Coyote's might be willing to part with Jokinen after a disapointing season and now that the Coyote's are having financial problems it only makes sense to cut their losses. Jokinen could easily add instant offence by himself for the Calgary Flames 2nd line. It might cost a high pick and prospect though.
The Final Word:
The Calgary Flames are a good team but need some offensive help. Expect them to definately look at a backup goalie for sure while trying to land an extra forward with a scoring touch. The Flames know that if Kiprusoff goes down then there season might as well be over. Don't expect them to make a major move but add a few small missing peices for insurance purposes.
Total Salary = $54,049,167
Cap Space = $2,650,833
The Plot:
The offense starved Flames have been on top of the Western Conference since day one despite not being able to score. The Flames rely on strong defensive play and goaltending to win games. Franchise player Jarome Iginla carrys much of the offensive load on his shoulders as per usual and Mike Cammalleri contributes the rest while leading the team in goals with 32. Todd Bertuzzi is still a force in front of the net and center Daymond Langkow contributes while playing a solid two-way game. Rene Bourque has finally found a home and also found his scoring touch teams saw in his junior career. Craig Conroy adds offensive depth at center to round out the top two lines. In the back half the Flames have found sucess with Mathew Lombardi, David Moss and Calgary native Curtis Glencross. There 4th line however isn't what it should be but still provides the toughness you need to survive the West with Andre Roy enforcing. The rest of the line depends on the night with Dustin Boyd, Brandon Prust, Wayne Primeau, and Eric Nystrom all seeing time. Not exactly the shut down line of a champion.
On the backend the Flames would like to see more of a powerplay presence and a little more defensive work. However it still is a good group anchored by Dion Phaneuf who plays all situations and has any forward coming in their zone keeping their heads up. Robyn Regehr provides a defensive presence but hasn't been what the Flames expected this season. Adrian Aucoin has turned his career around and shown there is life after his Chicago career. Cory Sarich has been a nice presence on the blueline and helps guide the youth on the team. Mark Gordiano and Adam Pardy round out the defensive squad while James Vandermeer steps in when asked to fill in as the 7th D or add toughness.
As for the Flames goaltending it can be summed up by one man, Miikka Kiprusoff. He has been the reason why the Flames have stayed competitive since that awful trade for San Jose. He can steal a game in any given night but at the same time if he doesn't show nether does his teamates. The Kipper has played in 57 games so far and it doesn't look like he's going to get a break with Curtis McElhinney being incompetitent at the NHL level with no wins in 6 starts. Clearly the Flames need to find Kiprusoff some help.
Major Injuries:
D Rhett Warrener - Most likely out till end of season with a shoulder injury.
C Wayne Primeau - Out till playoffs with a broken bone in his foot.
D Mark Giordano - 2 to 3 weeks with an undisclosed upper body injury.
LW Rene Bourque - Out for a month with a high ankle sprain.
Key Prospects:
1. C Mikael Backlund - Kelowna Rockets WHL
2. D Keith Aulie - Brandon Wheat Kings WHL
3. RW Greg Nemisz - Windsor Spitfires OHL
4. C Mitch Wahl - Spokane Chiefs WHL
5. G Leland Irving - Quad City Flames AHL
6. G Matt Keetley - Las Vegas Wranglers
Players On The Block:
D Robyn Regehr - Regehr's time in Calgary may be coming to an end if they can find another solution on defense. Although he is not regarded as an offensive defenseman the Flames brass would like to see him step up a bit more. His cost at 4$MIL per season also holds the Flames back this summer when they expect to upgrade their offense. A defensely challenged team may bite and over pay this deadline if the Flames decide to shop him.
C Mathew Lombardi - The Flames have given Mathew Lombardi enough time to show what he can do and it appears Lombardi is destined to play on the third line. It may be time to time to let go and try and catch another team sleeping. If the Flames need a throw in to a deal expect Lombardi to be the guy.
Team Wants/Needs:
The Flames main want is another body who can help put the puck in the back of the net. The Flames would like someone who can bring some life to the 2nd line especially now that Rene Bourque is going to be out for quite a bit of time. The other want or should I say need is a backup goalie that can shoulder the load incase Miikka Kiprusoff goes down and someone who can also give him a much needed rest.
Possible Targets:
G Curtis Joseph - Joseph is not the ideal target for the Flames but hes a familiar one. He played for the Flames this time last season and did alright. He's by far not a number one anymore and his days are counting down but he can still provide a save or two at a discount price. The Leafs would likely trade him for next to nothing and hes a UFA this summer so no hangovers.
C Nik Antropov - The Leafs wont part with Antropov for less than a 1st round and they'll be a lot of bidders so this is highly unlikely but Antropov could be the guy to put the Iginla, Cammalleri line over the top and push Langkow on to the 2nd line to give some help. He'll be hard to acquire as his stock keeps rising.
G Scott Clemmensen - Clemmensen carried the Devil's the entire time Brodeur was out and this is exactly the kind of guy that the Flames want behind Kipper incase an injury goes down. The Devil's already have Weekes and Brodeur it's highly unlike they'll keep the three of them and I highly doubt Brodeur is not going anywhere and Weekes wont ether with his play and pay.
LW - Gary Roberts - Roberts would give an there 4th line an instant punch and experience upgrade. It might not be the role Roberts would expect but he'd definately fill it perfectly. I'm sure if given the ice time on a second line he'd be able to contribute in a playoff run. Remember Roberts once called Cowtown home and won a cup there.
D Derek Morris - The Flames once drafted Morris and would definately welcome him back as they are rumored to be putting a package together for the Coyotes. Morris as a tough presence but also can quarterback a powerplay and give Phaneuf some needed help. Whether or not Morris would like to return to Calgary that's another story.
G Antero Niittymaki - If the Flyers are going to need to clear some cap space to bring in Kari Lehtonen it looks like Niittymaki will be the guy moved out of Philly. He's proved he can be a number one but needs a change of scenery as Philly is clearly unhappy with their goaltending team. Biron's got a no trade so Niittymaki is the odd man out. Calgary would love to have a guy like Niitymaki as Kipper's backup.
C Olli Jokinen - The Coyote's might be willing to part with Jokinen after a disapointing season and now that the Coyote's are having financial problems it only makes sense to cut their losses. Jokinen could easily add instant offence by himself for the Calgary Flames 2nd line. It might cost a high pick and prospect though.
The Final Word:
The Calgary Flames are a good team but need some offensive help. Expect them to definately look at a backup goalie for sure while trying to land an extra forward with a scoring touch. The Flames know that if Kiprusoff goes down then there season might as well be over. Don't expect them to make a major move but add a few small missing peices for insurance purposes.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Ice Scoopz: Wednesday Evening -> Zetterberg Re-Signs!
*-> The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed superstar foward Henrik Zetterberg to a whopping 12 year deal worth roughly 7.2$M next year then 7.7$M for the next 9 years then 1$M the following 3 years. The deal is expected to lower the average cap hit. Zetterberg who turns 29 this October most likely wont finish out his contract as he'll be 40 when it runs out. This is an amazing deal for the Red Wings and this will help keep the key members of the squad signed for long term.
*-> The Ottawa Senator's owner Eugene Melnyk held a press conference today to tell the fans to be patiant and hold on because it's going to get better from here on out. Melnyk doesn't want the fans to give -up on the team and promises this is only a small stumble for the once mighty organization. It was apparent by last nights game agains't the team needs a lot of help and much more effort. The fans consistantly booed the home team throughout the game. Melnyk also went on to say that "anbody who believes this team should be blown up should blow themselves up." He feels they have most of the team and staff in place to succeed. They will not be sellers at the deadline he claims but still expect a few players in and a few players out as he put it. Bryan Murray this week also made a few statements and one of them was he was definatly interested in shopping his UFA's for the right deal. Martin Gerber, Filip Kuba, Chris Neil, and Dean McAmmond all fall under this catagory. Filip Kuba is expected to draw some interest from around the league. The Sens rivals the Montreal Canadiens are slighly interested to bolster their powerplay and the Phoenix Coyotes would also like to add some offense to the backend. Many teams in the West would love to get their hands on Chris Neil. The Anaheim Ducks, the Nashville Predators and the Columbus Blue Jackets would like to add some muscle. .
*-> Martin Gerber's situation has gone from bad to worse as there is next to no interest in him right now. It really looks like he'll finish the season in the minors and will ether take a really hug pay cut or head back to Europe. He may get a second chance before the deadline if another team has some goaltending troubles. Rumor has it is that the Calgary Flames would like to aquire him only if the Sens would take Jim Vandermeer (2.3$MIL/3) or Cory Sarich (3.6$MIL/4) in return. Ottawa's not biting yet.
*-> Nashville has been silently trying to shop Dan Hamhuis for an offensive threat up front. It's been no secret this year that The Pred's haven't had much luck in the goal scoring department. Hamhuis is an affordable 2M$ for 2 seasons so expect a taker. Colorado might be willing to send Marek Svatos in exhange.
*-> Pierre Dagenais of the KHL team Traktor Chelyabinsk has stated he would love to stay with the team and plans to move his family over this summer. Dagenais has said although now there still is a huge gap in the KHL vs NHL quality of play, he says it still blows the AHL out of the water. He expects to see much more NHLer's head over this summer.
*-> The KHL has announced they are debating the possibility of expansion to China and Eastern Europe in the near future. For the time being however the KHL has announced that the Czech team HC Energie Karlovy Vary and Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg from the Russian Supreme League will be joining for the 2009-2010 season. Finland's Karpat, Sweden's Frolunda, and Belarus's Karamin Minsk and Junost Minsk have all been invited to join next season as well. Another piece of big KHL news was revealed Monday which will help the KHL teams develop their players and stop the early loss of prospects to the NHL by adding a junior club to each KHL team. This will greatly help development and help serve as a "CHL" style junior league for the Russians.
*-> The Ottawa Senator's owner Eugene Melnyk held a press conference today to tell the fans to be patiant and hold on because it's going to get better from here on out. Melnyk doesn't want the fans to give -up on the team and promises this is only a small stumble for the once mighty organization. It was apparent by last nights game agains't the team needs a lot of help and much more effort. The fans consistantly booed the home team throughout the game. Melnyk also went on to say that "anbody who believes this team should be blown up should blow themselves up." He feels they have most of the team and staff in place to succeed. They will not be sellers at the deadline he claims but still expect a few players in and a few players out as he put it. Bryan Murray this week also made a few statements and one of them was he was definatly interested in shopping his UFA's for the right deal. Martin Gerber, Filip Kuba, Chris Neil, and Dean McAmmond all fall under this catagory. Filip Kuba is expected to draw some interest from around the league. The Sens rivals the Montreal Canadiens are slighly interested to bolster their powerplay and the Phoenix Coyotes would also like to add some offense to the backend. Many teams in the West would love to get their hands on Chris Neil. The Anaheim Ducks, the Nashville Predators and the Columbus Blue Jackets would like to add some muscle. .
*-> Martin Gerber's situation has gone from bad to worse as there is next to no interest in him right now. It really looks like he'll finish the season in the minors and will ether take a really hug pay cut or head back to Europe. He may get a second chance before the deadline if another team has some goaltending troubles. Rumor has it is that the Calgary Flames would like to aquire him only if the Sens would take Jim Vandermeer (2.3$MIL/3) or Cory Sarich (3.6$MIL/4) in return. Ottawa's not biting yet.
*-> Nashville has been silently trying to shop Dan Hamhuis for an offensive threat up front. It's been no secret this year that The Pred's haven't had much luck in the goal scoring department. Hamhuis is an affordable 2M$ for 2 seasons so expect a taker. Colorado might be willing to send Marek Svatos in exhange.
*-> Pierre Dagenais of the KHL team Traktor Chelyabinsk has stated he would love to stay with the team and plans to move his family over this summer. Dagenais has said although now there still is a huge gap in the KHL vs NHL quality of play, he says it still blows the AHL out of the water. He expects to see much more NHLer's head over this summer.
*-> The KHL has announced they are debating the possibility of expansion to China and Eastern Europe in the near future. For the time being however the KHL has announced that the Czech team HC Energie Karlovy Vary and Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg from the Russian Supreme League will be joining for the 2009-2010 season. Finland's Karpat, Sweden's Frolunda, and Belarus's Karamin Minsk and Junost Minsk have all been invited to join next season as well. Another piece of big KHL news was revealed Monday which will help the KHL teams develop their players and stop the early loss of prospects to the NHL by adding a junior club to each KHL team. This will greatly help development and help serve as a "CHL" style junior league for the Russians.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Ice Scoopz : Monday Part 1
So I'm feeling better now and can finally get this back on the road.
*-Right now there are huge rumors swirling around the league about the Ottawa Senators. Something big is going to go down by the end of the week. Fans and management are furious with the lack luster effort their team has put forward each night and everyone is just starting to realize that the playoffs are fading slowly out of the picture. GM Brian Murray is fed up and has to shake up his team. I believe this will start by waiving a or a couple of players. The main target could be Martin Gerber. His value is low and Binghampton starter Brian Elliott has shown he can play at the NHL level. Clearing Gerber's 3+ million salary would definitely help make room for another player. The other player I have heard regularly being shopped is Jason Spezza. Spezza to Calgary has been thrown around quite a bit. Brian Murray stated last week he has a deal in theory for a puck moving defenseman but the other team expects him to give up a big name and take a high salary in return. Gerber's waiving could be the set-up. There will be a shake up soon and Ottawa will most likely be sellers at this point in the season. Is it time to rebuild? Or just make a change? That's the question.
*-TSN has reported that the Lecavalier deal to Montreal might possible be in the works. They say Montreal and Tampa Bay have been in talks throughout the season about a deal and Tampa is just waiting for an answer from Vinny. Ownership wants to here "I want to stay" or "I'm willing to go to....." out of Lecavalier soon so that they can start their plans for the future. After this disappointing season why not? A deal could kick start a massive overhaul and put them back in contention in a few years the way Philly did. The rumored package they'd receive for Lecavalier is Josh Gorges, Chris Higgins, Tomas Plecanec, prospect P.K Subban and multiple 1st rounders. That's quite a haul for one player and I know if I was them why not? Another name being thrown about is Mike Komisarek but TSN's Bob McKenzie rules it out and Bob knows his stuff.
*-Atlanta named Ilya Kovalchuk their new captain today so does this mean the trade rumors are wrong? I still think he'll go this deadline if there is no deal in place. Atlanta cant afford to lose their last valuable asset to free agency and now is the time to trade him while he still has time on his contract to trap another team.
*-Finally Brian Burke is claiming to newspapers that the market is soft and although he wants change he hasn't really gotten any decent offers. Burke's still trying to add some toughness to his line-up preferably a power forward who can score. Tomas Kaberle has said this past week he'll waive his no trade clause if hes asked but Burke came back a couple days later with saying he'll never ask any of his players to do so because they would have earned it. Philly has been gunning for Kaberle ever since last trade deadline when they tried to acquire him but he refused to waive it. The Flyer's are still rumored to be interested and could dangle Mike Knuble and or Scottie Upshall the Leafs way with some picks. The Buds have to make a choice Kubina or Kaberle and I think Kaberle A. has more value and B. Kubina is actually looking like the player they thought they had when they signed him.
Well I'll be back in a bit with The I.R, and Wednesday we wil continue on like usual including team Germany and team Latvia reports on top of the usual Tuesday line-up tommorow.
*-Right now there are huge rumors swirling around the league about the Ottawa Senators. Something big is going to go down by the end of the week. Fans and management are furious with the lack luster effort their team has put forward each night and everyone is just starting to realize that the playoffs are fading slowly out of the picture. GM Brian Murray is fed up and has to shake up his team. I believe this will start by waiving a or a couple of players. The main target could be Martin Gerber. His value is low and Binghampton starter Brian Elliott has shown he can play at the NHL level. Clearing Gerber's 3+ million salary would definitely help make room for another player. The other player I have heard regularly being shopped is Jason Spezza. Spezza to Calgary has been thrown around quite a bit. Brian Murray stated last week he has a deal in theory for a puck moving defenseman but the other team expects him to give up a big name and take a high salary in return. Gerber's waiving could be the set-up. There will be a shake up soon and Ottawa will most likely be sellers at this point in the season. Is it time to rebuild? Or just make a change? That's the question.
*-TSN has reported that the Lecavalier deal to Montreal might possible be in the works. They say Montreal and Tampa Bay have been in talks throughout the season about a deal and Tampa is just waiting for an answer from Vinny. Ownership wants to here "I want to stay" or "I'm willing to go to....." out of Lecavalier soon so that they can start their plans for the future. After this disappointing season why not? A deal could kick start a massive overhaul and put them back in contention in a few years the way Philly did. The rumored package they'd receive for Lecavalier is Josh Gorges, Chris Higgins, Tomas Plecanec, prospect P.K Subban and multiple 1st rounders. That's quite a haul for one player and I know if I was them why not? Another name being thrown about is Mike Komisarek but TSN's Bob McKenzie rules it out and Bob knows his stuff.
*-Atlanta named Ilya Kovalchuk their new captain today so does this mean the trade rumors are wrong? I still think he'll go this deadline if there is no deal in place. Atlanta cant afford to lose their last valuable asset to free agency and now is the time to trade him while he still has time on his contract to trap another team.
*-Finally Brian Burke is claiming to newspapers that the market is soft and although he wants change he hasn't really gotten any decent offers. Burke's still trying to add some toughness to his line-up preferably a power forward who can score. Tomas Kaberle has said this past week he'll waive his no trade clause if hes asked but Burke came back a couple days later with saying he'll never ask any of his players to do so because they would have earned it. Philly has been gunning for Kaberle ever since last trade deadline when they tried to acquire him but he refused to waive it. The Flyer's are still rumored to be interested and could dangle Mike Knuble and or Scottie Upshall the Leafs way with some picks. The Buds have to make a choice Kubina or Kaberle and I think Kaberle A. has more value and B. Kubina is actually looking like the player they thought they had when they signed him.
Well I'll be back in a bit with The I.R, and Wednesday we wil continue on like usual including team Germany and team Latvia reports on top of the usual Tuesday line-up tommorow.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Mondays Scoopz: Spezza? Schneider?
Well apparently "Rumor Round-up" is apparently has already being claimed by Hockey News so we have switched to "Scoopz" instead. So welcome to the first edition of Scoopz.
*- It has been reported the Ottawa Sens are ready to part with a big name. All signs point to the defensively prone but set-up superstar Jason Spezza. It's the most likely name that will bring back some return on the squad. Daniel Alfredsson has a no-trade and will likely end his career as a Sen while Dany Heatley has the NHL's highest salary and Mike Fisher also has a no trade clause so this leads us to believe Spezza will be the casualty. A lot of rumors point to Vancouver but this makes no sense as the Canucks just signed Mr. Sundin at centre. Columbus is another front runner because they have been searching for a set-up man for Rick Nash. I hear Ottawa is looking for a number one offensive defenseman and I really don't think Columbus has the answer unless they can work out a three way deal. Calgary has also been reported but once again that's another rumor that comes up short. Calgary wouldn't have the cap space unless they could convince Ottawa for Adrian Aucoin. The other name I'm hearing is Robyn Regher? could be possible but kind of unlikely. The last destination I'm hearing could be LA as they have lots of young stud offensive defensemen in waiting i.e Johnson, Doughty, and Hickey. They may be able to part with one to ensure a future at center.
*- Matthew Schnieder is being shopped as the Thrashers are falling out of contention by the day. His hefty 5.6Mil$ salary prevents many teams from jumping on the offers for the aging blueliner who still has a bit of puck moving left in him. Ottawa is a front runner for the defenseman but are a bit cautious as they too however may end up being sellers at the deadline if they don't make a change soon.
Thats it for now! game time!
*- It has been reported the Ottawa Sens are ready to part with a big name. All signs point to the defensively prone but set-up superstar Jason Spezza. It's the most likely name that will bring back some return on the squad. Daniel Alfredsson has a no-trade and will likely end his career as a Sen while Dany Heatley has the NHL's highest salary and Mike Fisher also has a no trade clause so this leads us to believe Spezza will be the casualty. A lot of rumors point to Vancouver but this makes no sense as the Canucks just signed Mr. Sundin at centre. Columbus is another front runner because they have been searching for a set-up man for Rick Nash. I hear Ottawa is looking for a number one offensive defenseman and I really don't think Columbus has the answer unless they can work out a three way deal. Calgary has also been reported but once again that's another rumor that comes up short. Calgary wouldn't have the cap space unless they could convince Ottawa for Adrian Aucoin. The other name I'm hearing is Robyn Regher? could be possible but kind of unlikely. The last destination I'm hearing could be LA as they have lots of young stud offensive defensemen in waiting i.e Johnson, Doughty, and Hickey. They may be able to part with one to ensure a future at center.
*- Matthew Schnieder is being shopped as the Thrashers are falling out of contention by the day. His hefty 5.6Mil$ salary prevents many teams from jumping on the offers for the aging blueliner who still has a bit of puck moving left in him. Ottawa is a front runner for the defenseman but are a bit cautious as they too however may end up being sellers at the deadline if they don't make a change soon.
Thats it for now! game time!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
September 18th New Hits
Well sorry folks I've been pretty busy the last few days as I've been recovering from knee surgery so I haven't had time to post anything but expect a steady flow of blogs and rumours as I've had alot of ideas and stuff to report. So here goes a quick flash of what we missed...
->Robert Lang has been traded from Chicago to Montreal for the 2nd round pick Montreal acquired from Toronto for Grabovsky in the 2010 draft. This officially means Montreal is out of the Sundin sweapstakes. I really feel still though Montreal was one of his considered options and now it has forced him to rethink his options. From what I'm hearing is the Vancouver offer is sounding awfully good right about now. Also expect a few other teams with cap room to step up and make a few offers.
->Anaheim's Mathieu Schnieder has successfully cleared waivers and will report to the AHL. This is a move so they can bring Teemu Selanne in. I really expected someone to jump on him but maybe this is a chance to get him for a steal because teams now know Anaheim has really no other choice. If they do decide to keep him down in the minors thats utterly disrespectful to a great defensemen wiith alot of life left in him still. Expect a re-entry waivers claim from Los Angeles or even Ottawa I'm hearing?
->Marcus Nilson from the Calgary Flames has been placed on waivers and is expected to clear by noon tomorow. This is pre-arranged so he may play in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, he however will still be paid by the Flames for this season but will not count towards the cap. Also the lucky bastard by be paid as well by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
->Detroit has re-signed Darren McCarty to a one year deal, terms were not mentioned but I'm figuring about $825k?
->Darren Hatcher is reportedly not going to be ready for the Flyers camp next week or even the start of the season. GM Paul Holmgren has stated he expects Hatcher to stay on the IR for quite some time before his knee heels and he'll be back in the orange again.
->Vancouver Canucks assigned C Mario Bliznak and D Patrick Coulombe to Manitoba (AHL), G Morgan Clark to Red Deer (WHL) and C Prab Rai (WHL). Released D Jordie Benn, F Oren Eizenman, G Julien Ellis, LW Scott Howes, D Travis Ramsey, D Shawn Boutin, LW Tyler Matheson, F Tom May, RW Kyle Neuber and LW Jordan Skellet.
->Hurricanes forward Justin Williams will be out for 4-6 months because he tore his Achilles tendon in practise on Wednesday. That's a big blow to the Hurricanes.
That's it for now, tomorrows a new day or at least there's more of a day..
->Robert Lang has been traded from Chicago to Montreal for the 2nd round pick Montreal acquired from Toronto for Grabovsky in the 2010 draft. This officially means Montreal is out of the Sundin sweapstakes. I really feel still though Montreal was one of his considered options and now it has forced him to rethink his options. From what I'm hearing is the Vancouver offer is sounding awfully good right about now. Also expect a few other teams with cap room to step up and make a few offers.
->Anaheim's Mathieu Schnieder has successfully cleared waivers and will report to the AHL. This is a move so they can bring Teemu Selanne in. I really expected someone to jump on him but maybe this is a chance to get him for a steal because teams now know Anaheim has really no other choice. If they do decide to keep him down in the minors thats utterly disrespectful to a great defensemen wiith alot of life left in him still. Expect a re-entry waivers claim from Los Angeles or even Ottawa I'm hearing?
->Marcus Nilson from the Calgary Flames has been placed on waivers and is expected to clear by noon tomorow. This is pre-arranged so he may play in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, he however will still be paid by the Flames for this season but will not count towards the cap. Also the lucky bastard by be paid as well by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
->Detroit has re-signed Darren McCarty to a one year deal, terms were not mentioned but I'm figuring about $825k?
->Darren Hatcher is reportedly not going to be ready for the Flyers camp next week or even the start of the season. GM Paul Holmgren has stated he expects Hatcher to stay on the IR for quite some time before his knee heels and he'll be back in the orange again.
->Vancouver Canucks assigned C Mario Bliznak and D Patrick Coulombe to Manitoba (AHL), G Morgan Clark to Red Deer (WHL) and C Prab Rai (WHL). Released D Jordie Benn, F Oren Eizenman, G Julien Ellis, LW Scott Howes, D Travis Ramsey, D Shawn Boutin, LW Tyler Matheson, F Tom May, RW Kyle Neuber and LW Jordan Skellet.
->Hurricanes forward Justin Williams will be out for 4-6 months because he tore his Achilles tendon in practise on Wednesday. That's a big blow to the Hurricanes.
That's it for now, tomorrows a new day or at least there's more of a day..
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