NHL off-season

[Bay 2,003]

I'm not really that shocked he did this. There were signs of this eventually happening.

[CARDINAL 205]

I'm not really that shocked he did this. There were signs of this eventually happening.

 

Is he going to sign with another NHL team eventually, or just go and play in the KHL?

[blotsfan 2,112]

He will never be allowed to play for another NHL team again.

[Maverick 791]

My dad (Rangers fan) joyfully woke me up to this news this morning...

 

 

 

As shocked and pissed as I am at the news, like Bay said this actually isn't too surprising. Kovy was the last one to return once the NHL lockout ended and even then there were reports he didn't want to come back. Probably figured fuck it - I'm already well off as far as $$ is concerned, I found a way to return to Russia and I'm taking it. Fuck the $77m I'm losing. Fuck the Devils and the hundreds of thousands I cost them in penalties.

 

I'm very torn on this. I loved him when he was banging in the goals, but half the time he was careless with the puck and looked like he wasn't giving 100%. Unfortunately, these past two years our offense relied heavily on Kovy so we're probably screwed - especially since the timing of this "retirement" left us in horrible position to replace him.

[Bay 2,003]

The Colorado Avalanche on Thursday signed center Matt Duchene to a five-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not announced on a deal that kicks at the start of the 2014-15 season.

 

So happy. Don't even care what he's making.

[Turry 755]

 

Sergei Fedorov, a former NHL star player and the current GM of CSKA Moscow, tried to lure Pavel Datsyuk to the KHL.

Datsyuk ended up signing a three-year/$22.5 million extension with the Detroit Red Wings, effectively ending the question of whether or not he would leave the NHL in the not too distant future. "Unfortunately for us, Pavel extended his contract with Detroit," Fedorov said. "I had a meeting with him a few days before the signing. We had the chance to get Pavel in a year's time, but as a person who knows what the NHL is all about, I understand perfectly well why he did what he did." Red Wings fans have to be thrilled with Datsyuk's decision, given that he's one of the league's top two-way forwards.

Source: Detroit Free Press

[JetsFan4Life 542]

So any thoughts on the schedule? Definitely going to try and go to the first Devils/Sabres game as well as a Devils/Leafs game in Toronto.

 

Metropolitan Division is such a stupid name by the way.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Metropolitan Division is such a stupid name by the way.

 

A Flyers board I frequent hates the name, too. Beyond dumb.

 

If all goes according to plan I'll be at both Flyers/Panthers games this year.

[Bay 2,003]

Lotta people hate the name.

 

Might try and go to Avs @ Sabres - October 19th.

[badgers 380]

Don't like the decision to move Detroit into a different division. I guess when you take location (relative to other teams) into account it makes sense. But Chicago and Detroit are huge rivals so I don't see why you would split them up.

 

Also, has there been talks of a new expansion team or two? I have seen that the Pacific and Central divisions have one less team than the Metro or Atlantic..

 

Edit- One less team, not one less player

Edited July 20, 2013 by badgers

[JetsFan4Life 542]

Don't like the decision to move Detroit into a different division. I guess when you take location (relative to other teams) into account it makes sense. But Chicago and Detroit are huge rivals so I don't see why you would split them up.

 

Also, has there been talks of a new expansion team or two? I have seen that the Pacific and Central divisions have one less team than the Metro or Atlantic..

 

Edit- One less team, not one less player

 

Yeah that's one of the big gripes that the East has 16 teams while the West only has 14. There have been some talks about an team in Seattle but there is nothing definite in place right now for anywhere else.

 

I do think they should have kept Detroit in the Central with Chicago. That way you keep that rivalry (as now you have five of the six Original Six teams in the East) and 15 teams in each conference.

[Maverick 791]

Jagr to Devils is 99% done according to numerous sources.

 

We have the money now might as well. The guy still has the one of the highest hockey IQs in the game he just can't quite back it up with the moves as he once could.

[Bay 2,003]

Atlantic Jagr.

 

Lebrun says it will be officially announced Tuesday.

 

 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=678655&navid=nhl:topheads

 

USA roster looks pretty damn solid IMO

Edited July 22, 2013 by Bay

[Turry 755]

Gary Bettman - C - Player CBC's exclusive window to extend their NHL rights is quickly running out.

CBC still has until the end of August to exclusively negotiate with the league, but The Globe and Mail reports TSN is ready to pounce if CBC lets the window lapse. It's hard to imagine an NHL season without Hockey Night in Canada and Don Cherry's loud suits, but it appears close to being a possibility. Stay tuned.

Source: The Globe and Mail

[Turry 755]

Zigmund Palffy has decided to retire from professional hockey at the age of 41.

Palffy hasn't played in the NHL since the 2005-06 campaign, but he's been dominant in the Slovak Extraliga for years. He had 26 goals, 73 points, and 103 penalty minutes in 39 games with Skalica in 2012-13. "One morning is more beautiful than the previous one, and you have other opinions. At this point, I believe that I quit. Definitive. Already I do not want to travel anywhere. Did it enough," said Palffy. He had some tremendous seasons in the NHL and is retiring with 329 goals and 713 points in 684 career contests with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Source: IIHF.com

[CARDINAL 205]

Yeah that's one of the big gripes that the East has 16 teams while the West only has 14. There have been some talks about an team in Seattle but there is nothing definite in place right now for anywhere else.

 

I do think they should have kept Detroit in the Central with Chicago. That way you keep that rivalry (as now you have five of the six Original Six teams in the East) and 15 teams in each conference.

 

I think your proposed solution is the right way to go!

 

This new conference / division format is supposed to last on a trial basis for 3 seasons, and than they will deecide whether to keep or abolish it (and if they keep it, whether to make any changes). I think it makes more sense from a time zone and television perspective that teams will be playing within there own geographic time zones more often this season, which should help to increase viewership.

 

I think that they should eventually move the Coyotes to either Seattle or Portland, which have both very successful WHL (Western Hockey League) junior teams that are very popular in those respective cities. Which ever city doesn't get a new NHL team should get an expansion team, which comes with expansion fees that can help other teams that are stuggling financially at the time. Than, they should move the Panthers to Quebec City, because they will never be popular in south Florida where there is literally a zero per chyance of it ever snowing or being somewhat cold!

 

This will help to make both conferences have 15 teams respectively, and than they can shift one team to the eastern conference from the western conference in order to have the Blackhawks and the Red Wings play in the same division, which they should always do as being both Original Six NHL teams!

 

Any thoughts or comments on my suggested changes to how the NHL is fundamentally organized?

[Bay 2,003]

Red Wings going to retire Nik Lidstrom's number in mid-March during a game vs. the Avalanche.

 

Top 5 D-man all-time.

[BigBen07 285]

I think your proposed solution is the right way to go!

 

This new conference / division format is supposed to last on a trial basis for 3 seasons, and than they will deecide whether to keep or abolish it (and if they keep it, whether to make any changes). I think it makes more sense from a time zone and television perspective that teams will be playing within there own geographic time zones more often this season, which should help to increase viewership.

 

I think that they should eventually move the Coyotes to either Seattle or Portland, which have both very successful WHL (Western Hockey League) junior teams that are very popular in those respective cities. Which ever city doesn't get a new NHL team should get an expansion team, which comes with expansion fees that can help other teams that are stuggling financially at the time. Than, they should move the Panthers to Quebec City, because they will never be popular in south Florida where there is literally a zero per chyance of it ever snowing or being somewhat cold!

 

This will help to make both conferences have 15 teams respectively, and than they can shift one team to the eastern conference from the western conference in order to have the Blackhawks and the Red Wings play in the same division, which they should always do as being both Original Six NHL teams!

 

Any thoughts or comments on my suggested changes to how the NHL is fundamentally organized?

 

There are two reasons why I don't think there will be a new Quebec team, despite fan interest:

 

1. Limited marketability. In Quebec, you MUST be able to speak Canadian French before you can gain employment of any type. This, and the fact that there are still no privately owned English-language radio stations, and only one privately owned English-language television station, as well as the only English-language newspaper being the weekly Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, severely hurts any chance of viable marketability, as a lot of players will be wary of wanting to play for a team if they can't speak English.

 

2. The Quebec Sovereignty Movement. I won't go into detail about it, but it is proving to be a serious obstacle in getting a team back.

Edited August 3, 2013 by BigBen07

[Turry 755]

From Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin: "Maybe at some point in my career I will realize it's time to return to Russia. That I am more comfortable here (in Russia)."

That's what Malkin is quoted as saying in SovSport, as translated by Igor Kleyner of Capitals blog Russian Machine Never Breaks. Malkin also is quoted as saying several Russian superstars, including himself, thought of not coming back to the NHL after the lockout last season. Malkin said Alexander Ovechkin and Pavel Datsyuk nearly stayed at home last season.

Source: www.prohockeytalk.com

 

The Rangers have been curiously reluctant to engage in negotiations with Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi, hockey reporter Larry Brooks writes in Sunday's New York Post.

All three of the aforementioned players can go free next summer. So why the delays in negotiating new deals? "Who knows?" Brooks writes. "General manager Glen Sather’s email response to (Brooks) this week when asked about the status of negotiations was, 'We will be talking.' There is much time to talk, that much is true. There is no impending deadline. Fact is, the Rangers have until late next June to keep Lundqvist, Callahan and Girardi off the open market. But there is nothing to be gained by stalling or procrastinating. There is nothing good that can come of allowing these players to go into this season without extensions or by negotiating during a season that’s going to be challenging enough even if all goes well." Related: Daniel Girardi, Ryan Callahan

Source: NY Post

Edited August 5, 2013 by monstersofthemidway

[CARDINAL 205]

There are two reasons why I don't think there will be a new Quebec team, despite fan interest:

 

1. Limited marketability. In Quebec, you MUST be able to speak Canadian French before you can gain employment of any type. This, and the fact that there are still no privately owned English-language radio stations, and only one privately owned English-language television station, as well as the only English-language newspaper being the weekly Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, severely hurts any chance of viable marketability, as a lot of players will be wary of wanting to play for a team if they can't speak English.

 

2. The Quebec Sovereignty Movement. I won't go into detail about it, but it is proving to be a serious obstacle in getting a team back.

 

Quebec is so extreme with their language laws, especially Bill 101.

 

Anyways though, what are your thoughts on the other parts of my suggestions for improving the state of the NHL, in terms of stability?

[Bay 2,003]

Avs defense still worries me. I'll be really be pissed if we our offensive potential doesn't come to fruition and the D still sucks with an inconsistent Varly.

 

Shit won't fly.

[Turry 755]

Andrew Shaw is auctioning off the stitches he received from a puck he took to the face during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins.

That's an odd piece of memorabilia. According to a Facebook page, 100 percent of the proceeds would go to The Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research. The auction will kick off on Aug. 15 and run 10 days on ebay.com. The highest bid will receive the framed stitches and an autographed photo of Shaw.

Source: Chicago Tribune

[Bay 2,003]

http://www.nhl.com/i...id=nhl:topheads

The Colorado Avalanche announced Thursday that the team has signed captain and left Wing Gabriel Landeskog to a seven-year contract extension. Landeskog will play out the final season of his entry-level contract this season. The extension goes into effect at the start of the 2013-14 season, and runs through the 2020-21 season. Financial terms of the deal were not released, but Sportsnet reported the total value of the deal to be $39 million.

 

Keepin' the core together

[Turry 755]

 

Sergei Fedorov, who serves as the GM for CSKA Moscow of the KHL, has left the door open for free agent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

Bryzgalov was bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers this summer and he's still looking for work. If he's unable to find an NHL team interested in his services then playing in the KHL might be his best option.

Source: Dmitry Chesnokov on Twitter

[Bay 2,003]

lulzBryzgalov

 

This is cool too and related: Steve Mason is going to have this on his mask.