2006 NHL Offseason

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 01:24 PM

Time to get this up and running.

Avs sign Sakic (as expected) to a one year deal, details haven't been disclosed. Joe is a loyal Avalanche guy, the captain and heart of the franchise and someone I respect immensely despite the fact that he plays for the Evil Empire of hockey and is cheered on by the most backwards-assed set of mouth breathers to ever set foot in an NHL arena. Well done, Joe.

Early reports are that the NHL salary cap will rise to $44 million next year, which is an increase of $5 million per team. Great news! My Red Wings should have considerable cap space this year, after struggling to put a roster together last season when they had to cut the payroll almost in half.

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 01:37 PM

Jesus, I just read that the Wings might go after Belfour. The time for that was four years ago, Kenny. Back when you paid a quarter billion dollars for Curtis Fucking Joseph. I'd feel a lot better about seeing Belfour wearing the winged wheel if he had a functioning back. Fuck me, there better be no truth to this rumor.

Is it too early in the offseason for my blood pressure to be this high?

Slurpy · June-20th-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Jesus, I just read that the Wings might go after Belfour.

Hang in there, man. It's gonna get wild, that's for sure.

moneyp · June-20th-2006, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Time to get this up and running.

Avs sign Sakic (as expected) to a one year deal, details haven't been disclosed.

$5.75 million is the reported number, about a million less than what he made last year. Have I mentioned how much I love the Teemu re-signing?

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 02:04 PM

Slurpy,

Carrying over your comments about Vinny from the other thread...

I don't think the concerns about Vinny in the playoffs are quite the same as those about Datsyuk. Vinny is a physical specimen who is built for the kind of hockey that the playoffs are about. He's big and strong on his skates and can hit and take a hit. Datsyuk is none of those things. He's small and not built for the physical game, and he's not even very fast, so teams can take away time and space from him and he has no way of creating it for himself.

If you surrounded him with size and toughness, the kind of guys who could create the space for him, then he'd still be a great, complementary player. But the Wings are about as close to big and tough as I am to buying DVDs of all the movies Pauly Shore has appeared in.

Slurpy · June-20th-2006, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Slurpy,

Carrying over your comments about Vinny from the other thread...

I don't think the concerns about Vinny in the playoffs are quite the same as those about Datsyuk. Vinny is a physical specimen who is built for the kind of hockey that the playoffs are about. He's big and strong on his skates and can hit and take a hit. Datsyuk is none of those things. He's small and not built for the physical game, and he's not even very fast, so teams can take away time and space from him and he has no way of creating it for himself.

If you surrounded him with size and toughness, the kind of guys who could create the space for him, then he'd still be a great, complementary player. But the Wings are about as close to big and tough as I am to buying DVDs of all the movies Pauly Shore has appeared in.

True, but how important is big and tough anymore in the new NHL? I was impressed by how Carolina was throwing their bodies around last night.
Speed, tenacity and agressive play seem to rule the day. Agree about Lecavalier v Datsyuk but Vinny still seems to take nights off and disappear,
maybe not so much in the playoffs. I dunno...this is nervous typing at this point.

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slurpy

True, but how important is big and tough anymore in the new NHL?

It's debatable how important it is until you have absolutely none. I mean, seriously, the Wings don't have any. You need balance. The roster is so heavily tilted towards soft that you can't possibly expect to survive an 82 game season plus a gruelling playoff run without adding some grit. And I mean real grit, not Kenny Holland's powder puff version of it.

moneyp · June-20th-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

I don't think the concerns about Vinny in the playoffs are quite the same as those about Datsyuk. Vinny is a physical specimen who is built for the kind of hockey that the playoffs are about. He's big and strong on his skates and can hit and take a hit.

All that and he was phenomenal during their Cup run, just about everything you could want. What concerns about his playoff performance could their possibly be?

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 02:39 PM

Yeah, I don't know. You'll have to ask Slurpy. Hopefully, Feaster is as concerned about Vinny as Slurpy and will deal him cheap to my Wings.

Slurpy · June-20th-2006, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moneyp

All that and he was phenomenal during their Cup run, just about everything you could want. What concerns about his playoff performance could their possibly be?

I should have been more clear and mentioned this was mainly a complaint about Vinny's regular season habit of taking games off. I remember some games this year that I hardly noticed he was on the ice and that's something for someone with his ability and seemingly endless potential. But you're right -Vinny does always step it up intensity-wise in the playoffs, and as was more evident this year than ever, just end up in one of the top 8 spots in the conference and you never know what can happen.

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 03:25 PM

Curious what will happen with Hasek. Sounded like he still wants to play, but it also sounded like Ottawa had enough of his shit (much like Detroit did, in fact exactly like Detroit did) and doesn't want him back. Vancouver might make a run at him.

Slurpy · June-20th-2006, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Hopefully, Feaster is as concerned about Vinny as Slurpy and will deal him cheap to my Wings.

I'll shut up now.

Borat Pri Hagafen · June-20th-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Knowing Ken Holland, he'll sign Eddie Belfour. And I'll be here and very upset if and when that happens.

Well, no one can accuse you of crying wolf.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Jesus, I just read that the Wings might go after Belfour. The time for that was four years ago, Kenny. Back when you paid a quarter billion dollars for Curtis Fucking Joseph. I'd feel a lot better about seeing Belfour wearing the winged wheel if he had a functioning back. Fuck me, there better be no truth to this rumor.

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 04:04 PM

Did I really type that? When?

Borat Pri Hagafen · June-20th-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Did I really type that? When?

May 2nd.
http://www.jazzcornertalk.com/speake...&postcount=450

Enforcer · June-20th-2006, 04:26 PM

Hahahaha. I rule.

Taking self-congratulatory sentiments to new heights,
Larry

Jazzzoline · June-21st-2006, 10:24 AM

http://www2.canoe.com/artsetculture/...20-101233.html
http://www2.canoe.com/infos/societe/...21-070500.html

moneyp · June-21st-2006, 06:51 PM

Luongo rumors picking up steam. TSN has the Kings offering Frolov, Dustin Brown and Garon. If I'm Keenan, I jump on that immediately.

Detroit rumored to be offering Datsyuk and Howard with a bunch of names changing teams.

Daniel · June-21st-2006, 10:41 PM

talk out of vancouver suggests the canucks might offer bertuzzi plus either cloutier or auld for luongo

Slurpy · June-22nd-2006, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moneyp

Luongo rumors picking up steam. TSN has the Kings offering Frolov, Dustin Brown and Garon. If I'm Keenan, I jump on that immediately.

Detroit rumored to be offering Datsyuk and Howard with a bunch of names changing teams.

How bout Dingman and Afanasenkov and a wad of cash??!

Enforcer · June-22nd-2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

talk out of vancouver suggests the canucks might offer bertuzzi plus either cloutier or auld for luongo

Mone's hoping they offer this package for Giguere

Enforcer · June-22nd-2006, 10:06 AM

Karmanos' Compuware building in downtown Detroit:

moneyp · June-22nd-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Mone's hoping they offer this package for Giguere

Nah, I'm over the Bert love. I like where the money is currently going. I will admit to thinking when I heard the Kings offer for Luongo if they would offer something similiar for Jiggy. Like either Frolov or Brown plus Garon. I'd jump on that, I think.

Enforcer · June-22nd-2006, 10:18 AM

The lease on Joe Louis Arena expires in 2009, and the Ilitch family has to decide what to do. Most likely, they'll build a new JLA near the Fox Theater and allow the Cobo Center to be remodeled and expanded as a convention hall. This would also put the hockey arena right near Comerica Park and Ford Field, which really makes sense. The other thing we hear about is putting the new arena in Corktown. From Terry Foster's Detroit News piece:

Terry Foster

Many will stand to benefit from a new hockey arena

Placing facility near Foxtown makes sense because of proximity to Comerica, Ford Field.

DETROIT -- Harry Kefalonitis stood smiling outside his bar, Harry's Detroit, satisfied with his investment in the city.

When Kefalonitis heard that Tiger Stadium was to be razed and developed with a mix of condominiums and retail stores, he silently cheered.

News spreads quickly around his midtown establishment, and the hottest subject was that a new Joe Louis Arena was on the horizon, and it would be nearby.

Kefalonitis pointed down Park Street toward Foxtown and the downtown skyscrapers, speculating where an arena might be built. There are some who speculate it could be built north of the Masonic Temple or on the site of the old Hilton Hotel. Kefalonitis would rather see it built behind the Fox Theater.

But no matter where it goes, Kefalonitis and other risk-takers downtown stand to benefit.

He is a third-generation bar owner who opened Harry's three years ago. He admits he bought the place 12 years ago, speculating that a new baseball stadium and hockey arena would be built near Foxtown.

Although Chris Ilitch, president and chief executive officer of Ilitch Holdings, said there is a chance the Joe could be renovated for $180 million, I am not buying it.

Mark my words. There will be a new arena and it will be built behind the Fox Theater. It makes sense to connect a new arena with the theater, Comerica Park and Ford Field.

Cobo Center must be expanded to ensure Detroit does not lose the auto show. Joe Louis Arena stands in the way, so it must come down because the city is losing large and important conventions. The Joe must go to benefit the city.

Corktown's chances

I had lunch at Nemo's earlier this week, trying to gauge the mood at one of the city's most popular sports bars.

One of the owners, Tim Springstead , pushed for the new hockey arena to be built where Tiger Stadium stands. He wanted to see parts of the stadium kept. But he also would want the 60-80 live events an arena would bring each year.

That likely won't happen, although Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick told me during Super Bowl week that he was an advocate of moving the new hockey arena to Tiger Stadium.

But Springstead was hardly in a solemn mood after learning Tiger Stadium will be razed and converted into a mixed-use project. He gets more neighbors, which he likes.

"My whole thing is what is good for the city of Detroit," he said. "It is not about what is good for Nemo's or Mike Ilitch or anybody else. What is good for the city of Detroit. I am warming up to the new idea of mixed-use."

Springstead should not give up on the Corktown hockey arena just yet. Remember the downtown mall? How about the 30 renovations of the Book Cadillac building? Or the riverfront ballfield? And didn't former Lions coach Steve Mariucci tell us, "We are building something here"?

moneyp · June-22nd-2006, 10:25 AM

Ducks new uniforms supposedly being unveiled today. The logo is already out:

Not bad. I'm hoping our colors aren't black. That's boring. The yellow-orange combo in the logo is kind of intriguing.

Enforcer · June-22nd-2006, 10:27 AM

Looks good. And once again, for the first time in over a decade, all the hockey teams will have their team names begin with the city they represent, not their name.

Always seeking to force things into a neat little box,
Larry

Borat Pri Hagafen · June-22nd-2006, 10:54 AM

Wait, so they're not Mighty anymore? Won't that be demoralizing?

moneyp · June-22nd-2006, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Borat Pri Hagafen

Wait, so they're not Mighty anymore? Won't that be demoralizing?

We're also no longer associated with a Disney movie. It more than makes up for it.

Enforcer · June-22nd-2006, 11:15 AM

moneyp · June-22nd-2006, 11:17 AM

Okay. Let's just stop that right now.