Official NHL Thread

Beckett95 · July 5, 2006

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=170576&hubname=nhl

Sabres signed Jaroslav Spacek

yankeessuck013 · July 5, 2006

This is a good pick-up.... he can move the puck, and not a bad shooter.....

He's kinda gotten a raw deal playing with some s***** teams like Chi and Col....I've seen him a bunch though.

He'd have been #1 or #2 on our team last year in pts....and can play about 24 minutes a game....

He'll fit in nicely for McKee.

Lydman was laying guys out all playoffs. Kalinin can lay guys out. Thats enough. Ide like to see Tallinder start hitting more with his size, but our defense is all about positioning, skating, and speed.

I'd rather have a fast defense then a huge defense that can hit.

Spacek fits right in with this team skating and skill wise. We play an exciting style, and this signing just goes right along with what the Sabres want to do.

yankeessuck013 · July 5, 2006

The fact that Regier was willing to give 3yr/$10M to Spacek tells me that Darcy is working on long term deals like this for the core. I see him giving guys like Miller and Briere the type of money that Mckee was looking for, and Tallinder and Lydman a little bit less. Hopefully guys like Gleason are off the mark when they say Darcy is unwilling to give longer term contracts.

My guess is that he wanted to see if his plan of having smaller guys with speed would pay off. I remember Lindy saying before the beginning of the season "Either we'll be really right or really wrong." Well, they've been really right, so now it's time to sign them to longer term deals.

Mckee and Grier probably didn't fit into their salary structure, and Regier did lose his gamble on Mckee last off season.

So, the line up so far looks like this, I guess:

Hecht-Briere-Dumont

Afinigenov-Connolly-Vanek

Roy-Drury-Kotalik

Pominville-Mair-Gaustad

Extras: Pyatt/Paille-Peters-Novotny

Tallinder-Lydman

Campbell-Spacek

Kalinin-Numinen

Janik-Paetsch

Miller-Biron/FA/Trade

Probably one of the deepest forward corps in the league, a very solid defense, and a young outstanding goaltender, should be another fun year.

Beckett95 · July 6, 2006

this kinda sucks for you YS013

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=170594&hubname=nhl

yankeessuck013 · July 6, 2006

I don't have a problem with this. Arbitration is supposed to set "fair market value" and there will be some winners and losers, but the Sabres admin will not be the bad guys here. They will have to pay whatever the arbitrator sets as fair and that usually is slightly in the players favour.

So the Sabres get their guys paid and aren't forced to go through any protracted ugly battles with the players.

Guys like Campbell made around $525,000 last year. According to the CBA, his qualifying offer is like $578,000. He deserves alot more than that based on last season.

You have to think Regier trys to lock up Briere, Connolly, Tallinder, Lydman and Kotalik to multi-year deals before a hearing can take place.

These guys won't be awarded anything astronomical, which means they'll all be retained for at least next season.

yankeessuck013 · July 6, 2006

Word is that former Sabres D-man, James Patrick, will take over the Assistant Coaching duties that Scott Arniel is vacating. Arniel will be named the next head coach of the Manitoba Moose. Patrick played in Germany following the Lockout, and he is a very close friend and confidante of Lindy Ruff.

Patrick's first order of business will be to tutor/mentor Paetsch and Jillson, to maximize their potential. Paetsch is young and has shown great promise in the A. He played well as a disaster call-up to replace the fallen Jay McKee in Game 7 vs. The Canes in the ECF. Paetsch has more offensive ability than Janik, and he skates better.

Patrick has a high NHL IQ, and he is very articulate. He'll make a great assistant to Lindy Ruff, at a time when the team needs more from its ever-changing D corps. Patrick has played the big brother role to Jay McKee, Henrik Tallinder, Brian Campbell, and Dmitri Kalinin.

yankeessuck013 · July 6, 2006

Laraque to PHX.

Man, what the hell's going on in Edmonton? They make it all the way to a game 7 in The Cup finals and now the players can't get out of town fast enough.

Laraque signed a 2-year deal with Phoenix for $2.4million...not a bad deal for what he brings. The Coyotes should be a much-improved team next year

I think the Oilers are in for troubled waters next season. I really grew a ton of respect for Edmonton during the playoffs, and rooted extremely hard for them against my new nemesis, the Carolina Hurricanes.

yankeessuck013 · July 6, 2006

Looks like Shanahan won't be going to Boston after all, and Detroit signs Belfour.

http://www2.sportsnet.ca/blogs/hockey_hearsay/2006/07/06/eagle_gets_his_wings/#more

I don't like those two signings at all. Shanahan at $4 million is too expensive and Belfour's career is basically over. They might as well have just stuck with Legace.

No 124-point season for the Wings this year.

So the Wings are going with the Maple Leaf method for winning championships. Getting something old and expensive works for classic cars and wines, for hockey its a bad thing.

The only thing Detroit has to look forward to these days is baseball. With their hockey team not accepting the "new" NHL, their basketball team losing Ben Wallace, and the football team being awful, all that city has is the Tigers and a vast amount of crime.

On the other hand, In their division the Wings can afford to have goaltending that is older than dirt, when you're playing the Blues, Hawks, Jackets, and Preds 8 times a year. It will take at least 3 years before that division is anything but a joke where the Wings practically sweep it. I predict Detroit wins the division, but gets knocked out in the 1st round of the playoffs again by a real team. Osgood and Belfour as a tandem will win games simply because of the lacking opponents Detroit faces most this season. It's like having a boxing match against a guy with 1 arm, no contest. The Wings are nothing special, at least until Jimmy Howard is ready to come take the reins, maybe he'll be a real goaltender.

YanksHater213 · July 6, 2006

wow looks like someones a little obsessed with hockey... :rolleyes:

schillingouttheks · July 6, 2006

Wow, looks like someone's a little obsessed with basketball ... :rolleyes:

Hockey's a great sport. I wish I followed it more closely. I always enjoy watching the Bruins, even if they're sucking. This year I'll start watching intensely and get to know it better.

YanksHater213 · July 6, 2006

but basketball is actually a good sport... so its a moot point.

yankeessuck013 · July 8, 2006

college basketball is good, that's about it.

schillingouttheks · July 9, 2006

Haven't seen this posted yet, so I guess I will:

Shanahan Agrees To Deal With Rangers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2514278

yankeessuck013 · July 9, 2006

Does Glen Sather ever learn? They finally start experiencing some nice success and then he reverts to his old form. Good job, Glen.

Nah but seriously, I think it's a good signing. The Rangers completely fell apart when Jagr went down in the playoffs...maybe if they had a veteran leader like Shanny, the rest of the team wouldn't have sucked so bad against NJ. Christ, they didn't even make it interesting.

The only thing is, it'll probably be another 9 years before the Rangers make it back to the playoffs, so having vetgeran leadership will just make them older.

yankeessuck013 · July 11, 2006

NHL Schedule Release: Wednesday July 12th

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=2353

I would love to start off the season with a game against the Hurricanes.

Edit: WGR confirmed that the Sabres will open in Raleigh on Oct. 4

yankeessuck013 · July 11, 2006

Campbell resigns a multi-year deal for the Sabres.

http://www.sabres.com/newsarchive.cfm?id=570

Campbell should be given a lifetime contract for the hit on Umberger, that was one of the greatest moments in Sabres history. Being at the game, I'll remember it for the rest of my life.

As per WGR's website, Soupy got a 2 year deal worth $3 million.

Just for kicks,

Beckett95 · July 12, 2006

As per WGR's website, Soupy got a 2 year deal worth $3 million.

Just for kicks,

hahaha that was probably the best hit of the year. I love watching that.

inkman · July 12, 2006

So, the line up so far looks like this, I guess:

Hecht-Briere-Dumont
Afinigenov-Connolly-Vanek
Roy-Drury-Kotalik
Pominville-Mair-Gaustad

Extras: Pyatt/Paille-Peters-Novotny

Tallinder-Lydman
Campbell-Spacek
Kalinin-Numinen
Janik-Paetsch

Miller-Biron/FA/Trade

Probably one of the deepest forward corps in the league, a very solid defense, and a young outstanding goaltender, should be another fun year.

Just a quick note. Janik signed a two way with TB 'ning. They may have lost a little bit of physical play with the trade off of Mckee for Spacek but they gained a ton of offense and it came cheaper. You can also add Stafford, MacArthur and Zagrapan making a run at the roster. ALthough I think Paille could be the front runner.

yankeessuck013 · July 12, 2006

I doubt Zagrapan will make the roster this year, maybe next year though.

So we have 1 empty D-Man spot? I wouldn't be surprised if Max is traded before the season starts though. And if so Paille or Novotny could take his spot.

Also, I read somewhere that the Panthers have been in serious talks with the Sabres about Biron.

rician blast · July 12, 2006

hahaha that was probably the best hit of the year. I love watching that.

scott stevens used to throw that type of a hit all the time and send guys out with concussions....it would always be a "legal" hit but would also always involve a guy with his head down, unaware, and a DELIBERATE shoulder to the HEAD.

I'm a huge hockey fan and I love the physical play and really used to love the fighting when it was more a part of the game. But I've never gotten a thrill out of a guy lining up an unsuspecting player for a "clean" hit that is clearly intended to really take someone out.

I see this in lacrosse too, with players who hardly ever initiate contact waiting till someone is vulnerable...even if it has no impact on the play...and deliver the hit designed to injure.

Some football DB's are like that too...one on one they'll roll into the guys knees but if he's in the air or coming across the middle and can't see him coming they'll take his head off.

Yes intimidation is part of the game and these sort of hits are considered within the rules. I'm ok with it...as long as the player who delivers the hit understands that the victims teammates have a right to exact revenge. If I'm the Flyers coach, Campbell is going to get drilled every single team he steps on the ice against us in '06-07.

yankeessuck013 · July 12, 2006

http://www.nhl.com/news/2006/07/277188.html

Schedule is out.

yankeessuck013 · July 12, 2006

scott stevens used to throw that type of a hit all the time and send guys out with concussions....it would always be a "legal" hit but would also always involve a guy with his head down, unaware, and a DELIBERATE shoulder to the HEAD.

I'm a huge hockey fan and I love the physical play and really used to love the fighting when it was more a part of the game. But I've never gotten a thrill out of a guy lining up an unsuspecting player for a "clean" hit that is clearly intended to really take someone out.

I see this in lacrosse too, with players who hardly ever initiate contact waiting till someone is vulnerable...even if it has no impact on the play...and deliver the hit designed to injure.

Some football DB's are like that too...one on one they'll roll into the guys knees but if he's in the air or coming across the middle and can't see him coming they'll take his head off.

Yes intimidation is part of the game and these sort of hits are considered within the rules. I'm ok with it...as long as the player who delivers the hit understands that the victims teammates have a right to exact revenge. If I'm the Flyers coach, Campbell is going to get drilled every single team he steps on the ice against us in '06-07.

The first thing you learn in hockey...ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! if you get hit in open ice, I guarantee you will fall down. It was a legit hit with the shoulder (no elbow) and hopefully Umberger learned his lesson and doesn't drop his head next time

Campbell is 5'11" had is arms down and didn't jump. RJ I believe is 6'1". This is a fast and violent game that unfortunatly leads to injuries. There was no intent to injure that isn't Campbell's game. Is it Campbell's responsibility to not throw the hit?

1. It wasn't a dirty hit. I don't care how you spin it, it wasn't dirty.

2. It wasn't a hit to the head. Shoulder to shoulder pretty much, RJ's head just happened to smack off the ice.

3. It wasn't a hit with intent to injure, it was just a great open ice hit.

4. It's RJ's fault that he put himself in that position, well that and the pass itself. RJ has his head down, and he got clobbered, so as far as him being defenseless, sorry but that is his fault for not keeping his head up.

It was just a great hit.

You can't take the hitting out of hockey, especially on clean hits like that.

It was a great open ice hit, no debate there, stupid pass by Dimitrakos.

rician blast · July 12, 2006

The first thing you learn in hockey...ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! if you get hit in open ice, I guarantee you will fall down. It was a legit hit with the shoulder (no elbow) and hopefully Umberger learned his lesson and doesn't drop his head next time

Campbell is 5'11" had is arms down and didn't jump. RJ I believe is 6'1". This is a fast and violent game that unfortunatly leads to injuries. There was no intent to injure that isn't Campbell's game. Is it Campbell's responsibility to not throw the hit?

1. It wasn't a dirty hit. I don't care how you spin it, it wasn't dirty.

2. It wasn't a hit to the head. Shoulder to shoulder pretty much, RJ's head just happened to smack off the ice.

3. It wasn't a hit with intent to injure, it was just a great open ice hit.

4. It's RJ's fault that he put himself in that position, well that and the pass itself. RJ has his head down, and he got clobbered, so as far as him being defenseless, sorry but that is his fault for not keeping his head up.

It was just a great hit.

You can't take the hitting out of hockey, especially on clean hits like that.

It was a great open ice hit, no debate there, stupid pass by Dimitrakos.

(1) Didn't ask for hitting to be taken out of the game. Said I love the physical play.

(2) Didn't call the hit cheap or illegal...said I don't enjoy, as some do, a player taking advantage of a player in such a way as to injure him

(3) the last shot on the clip, from behind, shows Unbergers head snapping violently back, way before hitting the ice...he was out before he hit...notice he could do nothing to cushion his fall, which any player with his wits automatically does?

(4) It was RJ's fault? ok, it was his fault, now he can go out an play like a Bruin and let the puck go in order to protect himself.

(5) The Flyers absolutely MUST drill Campbell.

Beckett95 · July 12, 2006

(5) The Flyers absolutely MUST drill Campbell.

October 17th the Flyers play Buffalo, and that probably will happen

yankeessuck013 · July 13, 2006

he made that hit in game 1, they had all series to do that

yankeessuck013 · July 13, 2006

Two friends of mine received this e-mail (each from different sources) and I think there may be something to this, even tho she is denying it.

The e-mail:

Well, the reason Pronger's wife wants to leave Edmonton is not

b/c she hates the city or the people. Apparently Pronger got a

female beat reporter who covers the Oilers pregnant. Christy Chorley is her name, and she told Prongs half way through the season. This is why it would be difficult for the Pronger family to settle down in Edmonton.

Even in his Agent's press conference last night, he said "There

is a very pressing issue that would make it nearly impossible for

the Prongers to remain in Edmonton." And guess what, their kids are not sick and neither are their parents. This Chorley chick has a website, she is fairly hot. So in retrospect I am not that mad

at Prongs or his wife for that matter. Prongs would not be able to

focus on hockey and his home life would be difficult.

The reporter's website: http://www.christiechorley.com

christy chorley sounds hot.

almost sounds like a porn star

schillingouttheks · July 13, 2006

So, it's sort of like the Renteria/Manny thing?

Beckett95 · July 13, 2006

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060712_174514_4896

Sammy now is equall to Damon

:damon:

jsinger121 · July 13, 2006

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060712_174514_4896

Sammy now is equall to Damon

:damon:

burn in hell sammy. you are with the devil now.

rician blast · July 13, 2006

he made that hit in game 1, they had all series to do that

playoffs are an entirely different story...PLUS if I recall someone in the league's front office issued a warning against retaliation.

again, not saying it was illegal, just sayin he saw Umberger was vulnerable and threw a vicious hit...if Umberger sees him coming, and Campbell realizes it, Campbell pulls up. So I choose not to revel in Campbell's hit as if it is some tremendous accomplishment.

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