The Official 2007 NHL Off-season Transactions Thread

Post by **Shadd666** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:48 pm

kekkonen: LOL!

Sure, but getting a useless 3.5M$ against cap is more annoying

Post by **CatchUp** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:48 am

Hey B72 - how do you feel about Claude Julien?

Eklund is saying it's a done deal.

Take that for what you will.

TSN confirms.

Kekkonen · Post by **Kekkonen** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:55 am

Shadd666 wrote:kekkonen: LOL! Sure, but getting a useless 3.5M$ against cap is more annoying

Yeah -- if he turns out to be useless. I think there is a non-zero chance of him turning things around in a new place, whereas the chances of Salmelainen becoming a productive NHLer or Cullimore being worth nearly $2 million are nil. Sammy is only what, 28?

What's more, I think he only had one year left in that deal, and AFAIK the Blackhawks aren't even close to being in cap trouble.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:17 pm

CatchUp wrote:Hey B72 - how do you feel about Claude Julien?

Eklund is saying it's a done deal.

Take that for what you will.

TSN confirms.

The local media is saying it's a done deal too. Yesterday, Chia said there were no press conferences or announcements planned for today. Either they're working out the fine details or they're just waiting until later in the week.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. The guy was canned by New Jersey and didn't get to finish despite making the playoffs. I hear he wasn't all that well liked in New Jersey... not that I'm saying a coach needs to be liked. I'm also not too sure he's known for coaching an up-tempo style of game. Overall, I don't know too much about him. I'll just have to sit back, wait, and see how he does (if they do sign him).

I was pulling for Scott Gordon to be named coach. They wanted someone with more NHL experience though.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:18 pm

Yeah he was canned in NJ because Patrick Elias is a weird guy. So is Brodeur. If I recall, when he was canned the team was you know...kicking some arse.

Julien will be fine in Boston, if Boston management (sinden et al) let him do his job.

Scott Gordon would have been good, but we all saw how a young coach fairs with interfering owners in Chicago. I still feel bad for Yawney. He is awesome with young players in real life.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:35 pm

But Sinden is retired and only an adviser to the team owner!

Yeah, Lou Lam is a weird guy too. How many GMs can say they've fired TWO coaches right before the playoffs when their team is doing well?

I'll hold my judgment of Chia bringing in Julien until I see what the team looks like in the first month or so of the season.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:04 pm

But Sinden is retired and only an adviser to the team owner!

You wanna buy a bridge?

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:35 pm

Only if it's built over swampland.

Devils88 · Post by **Devils88** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:46 pm

Come on...no one wondering the Kimmo Timmonen deal

32Y old and signed to a 6-year 35,7 mio. deal (thats 6,3 per year).

go philly go....

Post by **batdad** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:58 pm

Yeah, I mentioned earlier. This is way too much for Kimmo Timonen...or however you spell it. Between this, Andrei Markov, and others it is soon going to be the case that NHL teams ice only 6 defensemen..no forwards and no goalies. Cause they will all be over the cap on d-men. Imagine what a guy like Souray can ask for now. Jesus this was dumb.

Hartnell just as stupid though. 48 pts last year is worth over 4 mill? Arghhhh

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:59 pm

Most definitely! Look back a page or two. That Timmonen deal is certainly a head-scratcher.

I think they overpaid both Timmonen and Hartnell. At least Hartnell wasn't as far out of whack as Timmonen. Now watch what this does to the demands of all the other UFA defensemen. Their going to expect the moon!

Devils88 · Post by **Devils88** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:42 pm

sorry..."overjumped" your rantings about timonen

this WILL BE one of the three most stupid signings of this season...and we're not even in July (FA)

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:12 pm

Any bets on the other two most stupid?

Post by **Shadd666** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:18 pm

B72: LOL!

I'd bet one for Chicago

Oops! already done with Samsonov

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:24 pm

Mmmm.... I don't know. They did get rid of Cullimore's contract and Samsonov just had that one bad run with Montreal. Plus, that was a trade, not a signing.

I'm going to say Edmonton will overpay to sign Brad Stuart. I'm also guessing Montreal will overpay to keep Souray. Or maybe somebody else will overpay him just to get him on their team.

Other than that... you can always count on Toronto to sign some over the hill player or two.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:54 pm

Yeah the move for Samsonov was a decent one. Got rid of underachiever in Cullimore (well useless) and Salmo...and bring in a guy who if he is motivated to play, can be real good. Even if not motivated..it is only 1 year leaving alot left over. I think it is a good move for the Hawks.

Worst signing award will go to one of the following:

Philly
Edmonton (desparate for dman)
Toronto---cause they are Toronto

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:26 pm

Nathan Horton just re-signed long-term with the Panthers.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=211469&hubname=nhl

Post by **batdad** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:34 pm

$4 mill per year? Wow. NHl is really beginning to pay for what guys are "supposed" to do again, and not what they have done. This is what caused problems in the past with the NHL and $. If they continue to do this, no team will be able to stay under the cap. Next season, Bieksa is in for a windfall. (I realize Horton can't be compared to him, but it is just a general thought--young guys getting big $ .... for 20-30 goal seasons). Expectations are high on these young players now, and they are getting paid for what people "think" they are capable of.

Maybe Horton is capable, but darn wait til he does it. Florida overpays everyone though. And duh,....another NO TRADE clause from Martin. This guy is NUTS. Him and Keenan were a beautiful pair.

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:45 pm

With more and more teams overpaying under the cap era, i wouldn't be surprised to see an unexpected team winning the Cup just because they well managed their cap and paid the right price for their players, according them to have more talent than the others. It seems that GMs didn't took this dimension of the equation about the cap.

I wouldn't be surprised to see other buyouts in the upcoming years, like for Yashin. The whole thing costs more than paying players the right price, so teams will have to learn fast...very fast! Or maybe i'm wrong and they all have some hidden trick to turn things around, but i doubt

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:53 pm

Hmmm... most folks I've heard from actually thought that the Horton deal was a bargain. He's really started coming into his own this season and it's obvious that he's got the skills. He signed long-term and actually gave up 3 years of UFA time. If the Bruins had gotten his rights and signed him to this contract, I wouldn't be complaining.

Post by **batdad** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:27 pm

Yep..3 to 4 years down the road this deal "may" be a bargain. The issue is paying him $4mill cap hit this season...next season...for stuff he did in the past. I dunno. I just dunno.

The idea here is that although 5 years from now Horton "may" really be an $8 mill per season player, and the Panthers have him for $4 mill...he has NEVER shown that he is that 5-6 mill per year player...Bah...Am I making sense? I just think you pay players big $ once they have achieved big things...Horton...not quite there yet.

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:35 pm

Yup, i think too that players have to prove they deserve the cash they ask for. Having the potential to do things is one thing, confirming is an other

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:46 pm

I think because of the cap we're seeing more and more young stars wrapped up to higher paying long-term contracts because they're guys that the GMs pretty sure are going to be worth it. They don't want to risk losing them as soon as they're eligible for UFA status (which got a whole lot younger in the last CBA). Instead, they wrap them up for a long contract that will be a great bargain later on but might seem a little high now, while making sure they retain the player they're developing. I don't see this as the same as the old days of just throwing money at a player.

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:52 pm

It's still money that hits the cap for uncapped talent

So it penalizes the team on the short term, and they can't be sure it will be benefic on the long run because you can never predict for sure what a player will be in 4-5 years down the road. Some won't develloped, some will be seriously injured, etc. So it's a risked gamble with obvious short term handicaps and random long-term benefits. I'm not sure it's such a good idea

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:00 pm

I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that Horton isn't so much of a risk. He will become what they expect. He's already started to show it last season. I think it's more of a risk for Philly to pay Hartnell what they did than it is to pay Horton what he was paid. I don't think this is something you can make a broad statement about. It's got to be evaluated on a player by player basis.