Re: The NHL Thread
 

In exchange you get this! What a steal!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...&v=i072WN_GE2M

Re: The NHL Thread
 

See? Great skater. Got there really fast.

So I'm happy about this:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=725835&cmpid=nhl-twt

Get to look at her more.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

these contracts won't be the norm. First of all, these guys took cuts to stay. They would have definitely gotten more on the open market. Second, these are two of the top ten players, maybe even top 5 in the league. They're going to get PAID. Seriously, Ovechkin with 9 million? Sure. But he's not a complete player. Toews definitely is, and Kane is just elite.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Don't need to deal Sharp this season, but he could be a draft day trade next offseason when those new deals actually hit the books. That's something to remember, the new cap hits don't actually start until the 2015-16 season.

This year the most likely guys are Rozsival, Leddy, Oduya or Versteeg...or even Bickell.

Seabrook is a candidate too after this season.

They're going to become the norm quicker than you think. Teams without stars pay those fringe guys to potentially be their stars. Parise, Nash, Kessel, Couture, Neal...as the cap keeps going up, guys are going to start taking higher AAV dollar amounts to keep up with their % of the cap. Guys like James Neal aren't going to stay around the $5 million mark if the cap is $85 million.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Would Rosival and Versteeg be enough to get under the cap?

I could be ok with that.

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Work blocks capgeek so I'll have to check when I get home, but yes, I believe so, assuming we demote TT because of Richards.

I think there's a chance we see Roszival and Oduya shipped off before the season begins, not only for cap flexibility, but because Bowman always likes to trade off assets a little early to try and maximize return.

I believe the Hawks feel Johns is ready, and while Clendening seems to be the next version of Morin, they have lots of defensive prospects that are NHL ready.

I'd like to see Clendening with Hammer and Johns with Leddy. Stan believes in Rundblad too, it seems. Another Bowman project.

I don't see Steeg going anywhere this year. His stock is way down, and he's affordable this year if we can ship off Oduya.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Hawks are far deeper at forward in my mind, than defense. Oduya is half of the Hawks' shutdown pairing so I'm not sure if you want to get rid of him if you could find a taker for Versteeg or Bickell.

Problem for the Hawks is that Bickell, Sharp, Seabrook all have no trade clauses. And there's no reason to trade Sharp right now because this year could be the Hawks' best chance to win again.

Like you said, TT will be sent down to Rockford but any injury to an important forward could mean we see a lot of him this season.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Agree. Cap is going to go way up with the Canadian TV deal and contracts for top 10 players will subsequently balloon. I think 10.5m per looks like a pretty good deal in 2-3 years, if not next year.

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Mirtle made a good point earlier. In the NFL the QBs get the big money. In the NBA you get the max guys. The NHL stars get big money but its the mid level guys are the ones making g out like bandits under this system.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5d5jxJ5vbM

Yeah.

Not this season, but next season (2015-16)...they might be a little rough. Remember losing to the Coyotes in the first round? This team will be a lot like those teams. We're gonna have to unload until the Cap is around 80-85 in a couple years. Then these things will be awesome, but that's how long term deals work now a days.

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Congrats Hawks fans on getting your boys locked up.

We'll take Oduya on the Island if you need to dump someone.

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So nothing on Schneider's deal. Was waiting for Chris is say something. That's a big contract for a guy who has never won a playoff series. He's good and I'm sure he'll be fine but he's never been the for sure #1 guy in any market and last year was the first year he's played more than half a season.

Also Heatly to the Ducks for a $1mil is worth the gamble.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I'm back. If any of you every want to convince yourselves not to have kids, try throwing a birthday party for 5 year-olds. I love mine to death, but good lord.

The Devils are putting a lot of faith in Schneider, but I don't think it's too misplaced yet. I'm interested to see how he plays this year after what he went through last season. I mean, not only was he on a new team and it was his first real season as a starter. But he also had the most winningest goalie ever breathing down his neck. Even if Marty was kind and supportive, that's still a bit of pressure. I'm interested to see how Schneider responds with these changes.

Heatley to the Ducks for $1 million is a great move by them. The guy still has the touch. In the right situation, he can be a great secondary scoring threat. I really like some of the moves they've made this offseason.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Two at once is scary to me.

Also in case you didn't see it from the other day:

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Yes, I did remember seeing that and chuckled a bit. Ray looked so much better in an Avs sweater than he would've looked in that ghastly red.

I personally am very glad Holland held his ground.

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Worked out for both teams. Both got their Cups.

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really hoping the blue jackets sign lebron.

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Cory Schneider deal looks pretty good to me. $6m/yr for a guy who has put up essentially elite numbers in his short career (.925 career sv. % is ridiculously good) and although he's 28, he doesn't have a lot of mileage on him in terms of NHL starts.

This deal is very comparable to the 6-yr @ $6m/yr that Crawford got last year. Crawford had slightly more experience and a Cup, but Schneider has better numbers.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

TWSS
Pair him with RM on defense?

I'd love to see the looks on all the players' faces when he gets tapped out there, goes down like a sack of bricks, and lies there crying while he waits for someone to come help him off the ice.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Two chicks wouldn't scare me....

So just saw a tweet that the AHL will be doing 7 minute OT next year. 4 of 4on4 and 3 of 3on3. Think it should be 5 minutes each cause 7 minutes is just weird, but curious how it goes and maybe finally the NHL does something.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I'll be honest, I wouldn't know what to do. Too many options/body parts.

I welcome the challenge though.

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http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/...on-after-talks

ROR salary talks aren't going well, likely headed to arbitration. Jeebus. I love the kid on the ice, but what a headache this has become over the last couple seasons.

As the article points out at the end, ROR could very well be making more than Jamie Effing Benn after this. That is crazy to me.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Like the OT change in the AHL. It's a start in the right direction to lessen SOs. Yes, 3v3 is almost as gimmicky since it probably happens just as often as penalty shots or something like that. But it's a start.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Covering the Flyers rookies event Trial on the Isle Monday and plan on doing a feature on all the young defensemen in the system. Should be a blast.

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I see the AHL is going with the 3 on 3 OT for next year. Not a fan of it.

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With all this chaos that is the NBA offseason, I just want to say how much I appreciate that the NHL isn't TMZ like the NBA is during the offseason.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Agree. They both get an interview window and the NHL guys don't do this shit. I think the NBA guys like it. I mean Stastny had 15 teams on him at one point and still signed on July 1.

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Lebron knows :lol
I would hold out to watch the WC final too though

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I hate when the NBA guys do this. I can't watch SportsCenter because of it. The NBA in general is just so so awful

People want to watch Sportscenter still?