Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Dominion Day/Free Agency Open Thread
--Dan Barnes, National Post
June 29th
Out: Jarret Stoll, Matte Greene
In: Ľubomír Višňovský
July 1st
Possibly In: Erik Cole, Marián Hossa
Possibly Out: Joni Pitkanen, Marty Reasoner, Curtis Glencross, Lubomir Visnovsky
I guess that five year plan of Kevin Lowe's consisted of "wait until the cavalry arrives." And it has. Hopefully the Oilers don't just try and spend their way to success. Looks like Mr. Katz might have a fun news conference on Wednesday.
Resources
• Spector's Trade Rumours
• NHL Numbers
• James Mirtle
Enjoy the "frenzy," all. Crosby.
***Update***
Erik Cole and
# posted by andy grabia @ 12:57 am 
Comments:
Stauffer sez Hossa has been conferring with Katz and is phoning Oiler players. Oh, Kevin Lowe, you do know how to deliver crazy-ass free-agency days.
Is Hossa seriously considering Edm? I never thought that would happen.
The Barnes article I linked to last night said it was all but a done deal.
Well, the good news is that, in spite of that glorious late run, Lowe knows that last years Oilers were clearly weaker than their record showed. So he's decided to trade pretty well all of them.
Let's not forget to give Calgary their due. They acquired Rene Bourque from Chicago. If they can sign Darcy Tucker now they are set.
Barnes said it would be a miracle to get Hossa so it doesn't seem like a done deal. This will be interesting if they get him. He'll be a great fit with Hemmer but over 9 mill? Ugh!
Barnes said it would be a miracle to get Hossa so it doesn't seem like a done deal.
Man, you are right. I read that paragraph totally wrong. Apparently I am losing it. Thanx, Scarlett.
The Flames signed Conroy for a million plus pocket change. That's the part that killed me--I hoped they were going to be forced to overspend.
As near as I can figure the Torres dump leaves us with $3M in cap space. Presumably part of the "miracle" required to land Hossa is shifting a couple big contracts: even getting some league-minimum project back for Souray doesn't quite get us there (plus didn't I hear somebody has a 100M/10y deal on the table for Hossa?)
Well, which are the biggest contracts on the Oilers that are moveable?
If you ask me, in this order: Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff, Fernando Pisani.
Not optimistic.
They could put some guys in the minors (Souray, Moreau, Roloson), if need be, or blackmail them all into retiring somehow, but you are right, Hossa doesn't fit at this point. Not unless something else really dumb happens.
That Torres trade is making me angrier and angrier. I feel like Howson and Hitchcock are just sitting in Columbus giggling their asses off. No one better come across the middle on me today.
I can't imagine which potential headline scares me more:
Avery signs with Oilers
or
Local boy Tucker returns to Northern Alberta
Oh please. Like other teams don't see Torres exactly the same way. You WANT the guys you hate in YOUR colours. The rumour floating around is Tucker to Calgary, and that would bug me a lot more than either of your headlines.
You know, Avery really would be a perfect addition, even if he's a jackass. And at the right money (and he won't sign at the right money, but you get the point) even Tucker would help.
Also, this just in: Sportsnet is reporting that Curtis Joseph has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Somebody wake Cliff Fletcher up and remind him that it's not 1998 anymore.
The rumour floating around is Tucker to Calgary, and that would bug me a lot more than either of your headlines.
The Jason Smith to Calgary one is even worse. And whither Le GG?
Smith in Calgary? No no no! That would be a nightmare.
Cujo back in TO? Just when I thought Fletch was going a good job.
Cujo back in TO? Just when I thought Fletch was going a good job.
I think he showed he had something left in the tank last season. A competent backup at 700k ain't too bad.
Has Colorado not watched any eastern conference games since 2004? Raycroft is terrible.
Conklin is a steal for Detroit. Great move.
Apparently Vancouver offered Sundin $10 mil a year.
TSN is reporting that the Canucks have offered Mats Sundin $10mil/year. I love that franchise.
THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HAVE SIGNED GOALTENDER CRISTOBAL HUET, REPORTEDLY TO A FOUR-YEAR DEAL AT $5.6 MILLION PER SEASON.
in related news, this season, Huet's name will be pronounced "Crispy Hooters'...
Well, the Avs got Tucker so we get that guy up in our grills six times next year. I guess that's supposed to be a good thing?
The Canucks seem to have concluded that the Sedins are their big problem. Sure, fellas, whatever you say. Also, here's to Conklin being one-tenth the disappointment to Detroit as he was to Edmonton.
How about that Brian Campbell contract? Sheesh.
Yeah, he's almost getting Vishnovsky/Souray money.
Shame about Torres.
Shame he couldn't have gone to the east coast, that is. You'll be singing a different tune when Brule scores thirty goals this season and Torres gets suspended for being a jackass, heh!
And of course you realize that signing Sundin would ensure Naslund re-signs and remains captain of the Canucks for years to come.
*Sigh*
How about that Brian Campbell contract? Sheesh.
How about that Redden contract. Hahahahaha. It's crazy-time.
No shit. Course, I also think $9 for Hossa is nuts. And I can't figure out why no one on TSN, or in the Lowe presser, is asking how they can fit that under the cap. They'd have to dump salary somehow. They'd just have to.
Wade Redden for 6.5 million over 6 years.
Good Grief, did the Rangers even watch his play the last two seasons?
That would be your Glen Sather ... luckiest (I mean seriously, this guy built one of the all time great teams on the back of a poker bet with Skalbania and the single luckiest draft year of all time) yet ultimately, as history has shown, most useless GM in NHL history.
Crazy shit as usual.
Colby, I saw Tucker a lot last season. Guy was banged up but he looked done. I mean beyond done.
Not sure what the Avs are thinking at all.
AG,
How will signing Hossa influence public opinion when it comes to building the arena that increases the profits for Mr. Katz?
How will signing Hossa influence public opinion when it comes to building the arena that increases the profits for Mr. Katz?
Interesting question. Could go either way, I guess. David Staples definitely thinks so.
Glencross to the Flames. Rumoured to be 3.3$ over three years.
Less than what the Oilers were offering no? Maybe he was promised top 6 or 9 minutes by Sutter?
I would've prefered to see the Oilers keep him
http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/insideflames/default.aspx
What is with the Torres love-in? He's been junk since his coke habit has come to pass. It was the same with Cleary. Great potential, but his problem with the bottle made him underachieve here. I'm hoping the trade will straighten Torres out, but the chances of him being anything other than a 9-12 forward here are staggering.
GlenX to the Flames??? I was really hoping he would get signed. We're getting more candy-assed by the minute.
*sigh*
Pitkanen signed for $12 million over 3 years. That contract ends and he still won't be 28.
Cole is a good player and he'll help the Oilers this year. That's great and all, but there's a real chance Cole is gone after only 1 season here. That's nowhere near enough for Pitkanen.
Wow. MacT interview on the Team1260 revealed quite a bit about Joni and why he's no longer an Oiler. Question was about a difference in philosophy leading to Joni's trade, and MacT said that was a "Complimentary way of phrasing it". Went on to say Joni's commitment to winning a team game was lacking, though strides were made during the season (including a positive conversation at the end of the season). Then Joni informed the Oilers he didn't want to come back.
A lot of interesting things from the a very direct, blunt, assessment by MacT...wish there was an mp3 of it somewhere.
Anyway, key point is that Joni wanted out. Guess I can't complain about the trade too much. Still, the possibility of only one year of Cole strikes me as poor return for Pitkanen.
Apparently a replay of the MacT interview is coming up "in a few minutes".
The version of MacT's interview on oilers.com is pretty interesting as well. Seems the editing studio missed his Freudian slip, where he blurts out "Get rid of" before correcting himself when talking about Stoll and Greene. Frickin' brutal!
AG
Matty Roy's $500K one-way is a gift that makes sure he gets compensated for his rotten luck. Compensated by someone with a half-full building somewhere warm when they pick him up on waivers after TC. Lowe sure knows his D! Makes complete sense, no?
Okay then stretch a bit for this one. The Oilers offer Le GG a contract that results in the Habs giving him a plum deal. Rewarding him for time served even after he's done? Two years @ 700K becomes 'The Oil are offering him $1.4M and 2 years to come back' when the agent tells the Habs about it. I am pretty sure about the first one, I'd like to dream the second one is true also.
Making sure GAB are looked after - on someone else's cap.
I got an anonymous email about Le GG, but I didn't get a chance to read it, because it was in my Spam section, and I saw it just as I was deleting it. The person who sent it to me should feel free to do so again.
See the previous comment. After hearing how helpful Le GG was with the Hossa bid, how possible was it that the Oilers offer for Le GG was to help bid up his value and get Gainey to give him that pretty plum deal?
Sounds like fences were mended.
I personally don't see where he fits on the Oil next season. BG and Montreal are going to love each other.
Its all good.
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Stauffer sez Hossa has been conferring with Katz and is phoning Oiler players. Oh, Kevin Lowe, you do know how to deliver crazy-ass free-agency days.
Is Hossa seriously considering Edm? I never thought that would happen.
The Barnes article I linked to last night said it was all but a done deal.
Well, the good news is that, in spite of that glorious late run, Lowe knows that last years Oilers were clearly weaker than their record showed. So he's decided to trade pretty well all of them.
Let's not forget to give Calgary their due. They acquired Rene Bourque from Chicago. If they can sign Darcy Tucker now they are set.
Barnes said it would be a miracle to get Hossa so it doesn't seem like a done deal. This will be interesting if they get him. He'll be a great fit with Hemmer but over 9 mill? Ugh!
Barnes said it would be a miracle to get Hossa so it doesn't seem like a done deal.
Man, you are right. I read that paragraph totally wrong. Apparently I am losing it. Thanx, Scarlett.
The Flames signed Conroy for a million plus pocket change. That's the part that killed me--I hoped they were going to be forced to overspend.
As near as I can figure the Torres dump leaves us with $3M in cap space. Presumably part of the "miracle" required to land Hossa is shifting a couple big contracts: even getting some league-minimum project back for Souray doesn't quite get us there (plus didn't I hear somebody has a 100M/10y deal on the table for Hossa?)
Well, which are the biggest contracts on the Oilers that are moveable?
If you ask me, in this order: Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff, Fernando Pisani.
Not optimistic.
They could put some guys in the minors (Souray, Moreau, Roloson), if need be, or blackmail them all into retiring somehow, but you are right, Hossa doesn't fit at this point. Not unless something else really dumb happens.
That Torres trade is making me angrier and angrier. I feel like Howson and Hitchcock are just sitting in Columbus giggling their asses off. No one better come across the middle on me today.
I can't imagine which potential headline scares me more:
Avery signs with Oilers
or
Local boy Tucker returns to Northern Alberta
Oh please. Like other teams don't see Torres exactly the same way. You WANT the guys you hate in YOUR colours. The rumour floating around is Tucker to Calgary, and that would bug me a lot more than either of your headlines.
You know, Avery really would be a perfect addition, even if he's a jackass. And at the right money (and he won't sign at the right money, but you get the point) even Tucker would help.
Also, this just in: Sportsnet is reporting that Curtis Joseph has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Somebody wake Cliff Fletcher up and remind him that it's not 1998 anymore.
The rumour floating around is Tucker to Calgary, and that would bug me a lot more than either of your headlines.
The Jason Smith to Calgary one is even worse. And whither Le GG?
Smith in Calgary? No no no! That would be a nightmare.
Cujo back in TO? Just when I thought Fletch was going a good job.
Cujo back in TO? Just when I thought Fletch was going a good job.
I think he showed he had something left in the tank last season. A competent backup at 700k ain't too bad.
Has Colorado not watched any eastern conference games since 2004? Raycroft is terrible.
Conklin is a steal for Detroit. Great move.
Apparently Vancouver offered Sundin $10 mil a year.
TSN is reporting that the Canucks have offered Mats Sundin $10mil/year. I love that franchise.
# posted by 
: July 01, 2008 1:52 pm
: July 01, 2008 1:52 pm THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HAVE SIGNED GOALTENDER CRISTOBAL HUET, REPORTEDLY TO A FOUR-YEAR DEAL AT $5.6 MILLION PER SEASON.
in related news, this season, Huet's name will be pronounced "Crispy Hooters'...
Well, the Avs got Tucker so we get that guy up in our grills six times next year. I guess that's supposed to be a good thing?
The Canucks seem to have concluded that the Sedins are their big problem. Sure, fellas, whatever you say. Also, here's to Conklin being one-tenth the disappointment to Detroit as he was to Edmonton.
How about that Brian Campbell contract? Sheesh.
Yeah, he's almost getting Vishnovsky/Souray money.
# posted by : July 01, 2008 3:50 pm
: July 01, 2008 3:50 pm Shame about Torres.
Shame he couldn't have gone to the east coast, that is. You'll be singing a different tune when Brule scores thirty goals this season and Torres gets suspended for being a jackass, heh!
And of course you realize that signing Sundin would ensure Naslund re-signs and remains captain of the Canucks for years to come.
*Sigh*
How about that Brian Campbell contract? Sheesh.
How about that Redden contract. Hahahahaha. It's crazy-time.
No shit. Course, I also think $9 for Hossa is nuts. And I can't figure out why no one on TSN, or in the Lowe presser, is asking how they can fit that under the cap. They'd have to dump salary somehow. They'd just have to.
Wade Redden for 6.5 million over 6 years.
Good Grief, did the Rangers even watch his play the last two seasons?
That would be your Glen Sather ... luckiest (I mean seriously, this guy built one of the all time great teams on the back of a poker bet with Skalbania and the single luckiest draft year of all time) yet ultimately, as history has shown, most useless GM in NHL history.
# posted by : July 01, 2008 7:43 pm
: July 01, 2008 7:43 pm Crazy shit as usual.
Colby, I saw Tucker a lot last season. Guy was banged up but he looked done. I mean beyond done.
Not sure what the Avs are thinking at all.
AG,
How will signing Hossa influence public opinion when it comes to building the arena that increases the profits for Mr. Katz?
# posted by : July 01, 2008 9:27 pm
: July 01, 2008 9:27 pm How will signing Hossa influence public opinion when it comes to building the arena that increases the profits for Mr. Katz?
Interesting question. Could go either way, I guess. David Staples definitely thinks so.
Glencross to the Flames. Rumoured to be 3.3$ over three years.
Less than what the Oilers were offering no? Maybe he was promised top 6 or 9 minutes by Sutter?
I would've prefered to see the Oilers keep him
http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/insideflames/default.aspx
# posted by : July 02, 2008 9:34 am
: July 02, 2008 9:34 am What is with the Torres love-in? He's been junk since his coke habit has come to pass. It was the same with Cleary. Great potential, but his problem with the bottle made him underachieve here. I'm hoping the trade will straighten Torres out, but the chances of him being anything other than a 9-12 forward here are staggering.
GlenX to the Flames??? I was really hoping he would get signed. We're getting more candy-assed by the minute.
*sigh*
# posted by : July 02, 2008 9:59 am
: July 02, 2008 9:59 am Pitkanen signed for $12 million over 3 years. That contract ends and he still won't be 28.
Cole is a good player and he'll help the Oilers this year. That's great and all, but there's a real chance Cole is gone after only 1 season here. That's nowhere near enough for Pitkanen.
# posted by : July 02, 2008 11:18 am
: July 02, 2008 11:18 am Wow. MacT interview on the Team1260 revealed quite a bit about Joni and why he's no longer an Oiler. Question was about a difference in philosophy leading to Joni's trade, and MacT said that was a "Complimentary way of phrasing it". Went on to say Joni's commitment to winning a team game was lacking, though strides were made during the season (including a positive conversation at the end of the season). Then Joni informed the Oilers he didn't want to come back.
A lot of interesting things from the a very direct, blunt, assessment by MacT...wish there was an mp3 of it somewhere.
Anyway, key point is that Joni wanted out. Guess I can't complain about the trade too much. Still, the possibility of only one year of Cole strikes me as poor return for Pitkanen.
# posted by : July 02, 2008 1:12 pm
: July 02, 2008 1:12 pm Apparently a replay of the MacT interview is coming up "in a few minutes".
# posted by : July 02, 2008 2:08 pm
: July 02, 2008 2:08 pm The version of MacT's interview on oilers.com is pretty interesting as well. Seems the editing studio missed his Freudian slip, where he blurts out "Get rid of" before correcting himself when talking about Stoll and Greene. Frickin' brutal!
# posted by : July 02, 2008 8:33 pm
: July 02, 2008 8:33 pm AG
Matty Roy's $500K one-way is a gift that makes sure he gets compensated for his rotten luck. Compensated by someone with a half-full building somewhere warm when they pick him up on waivers after TC. Lowe sure knows his D! Makes complete sense, no?
Okay then stretch a bit for this one. The Oilers offer Le GG a contract that results in the Habs giving him a plum deal. Rewarding him for time served even after he's done? Two years @ 700K becomes 'The Oil are offering him $1.4M and 2 years to come back' when the agent tells the Habs about it. I am pretty sure about the first one, I'd like to dream the second one is true also.
Making sure GAB are looked after - on someone else's cap.
# posted by : July 03, 2008 6:12 pm
: July 03, 2008 6:12 pm I got an anonymous email about Le GG, but I didn't get a chance to read it, because it was in my Spam section, and I saw it just as I was deleting it. The person who sent it to me should feel free to do so again.
See the previous comment. After hearing how helpful Le GG was with the Hossa bid, how possible was it that the Oilers offer for Le GG was to help bid up his value and get Gainey to give him that pretty plum deal?
Sounds like fences were mended.
I personally don't see where he fits on the Oil next season. BG and Montreal are going to love each other.
Its all good.
# posted by : July 04, 2008 10:49 am
: July 04, 2008 10:49 am Post a Comment
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