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2007 NHL Entry Draft and Free Agency discussion
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:19 pm    Post subject: 2007 NHL Entry Draft and Free Agency discussion Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I know we've still got the playoffs left to run and I said I'd wait until they were over until I got into this but I can't help myself after the news I just found out a few minutes ago tonight.

The NHL draft lottery took place today and the winners of the lottery were Chicago.

Chicago moves a maximum of 4 places up the draft as a result of this, oh what's this? Oh look, they were 5th! Let me count here...5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Oh, that's right they move to 1st overall. Oh wait weren't the Flyers in first place? So they were. Well I guess they go to second in that case.

To put it mildy;
Well, shit.

I'm a bit pissed off but objectively from all I know about the draft the top three are a total toss up on who's going to be better. The early contenders for 1st pick overall are Partick Kane (London Knights, OHL), Jakub Voracek (OHL or QMJHL, one of those) and Kyle Turris (BCHL). Maybe Chicago goes for someone a bit different like Alexei Cherepanov (RSL), Karl Alzner, Angelo Esposito or James Van Riemsdyk though, those would be slightly more off the board picks at #1 though, they're all definite top ten draftee candidates though.

It's a let down after being so crap all year that the Flyers couldn't get the pick as a consolation though, I don't really know who I hope we draft I trust the scouting department to do a good job and since the draft has been run by Holmgren for years even under Clarke as General Manager I have some confidence in their ability to pick up a good player. We also have Nashville's 1st rounder from the Forsberg trade so we can grab someone a bit lower down who might turn out to be good, it's for that reason I hope the Preds are out in the first round of the playoffs since that means we pick a little bit earlier. We traded our second rounder (31st pick) for Biron but we also have 3 3rd rounders to use so maybe we can nab a couple nice steals from there too.
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Well, the Sharks traded away their two 1st-round picks for this upcoming draft to bring in Craig Rivet and Bill Guerin before the trade deadline. I'm not as upset about these trades of the 1st-rounders just for the fact that the Sharks have a deep talent pool in the minors. From what I've heard this year's upcoming draft class is not pretty strong.

The main thing the Sharks will have to decide on is whether they want to re-sign both Rivet and Guerin to long-term deals. I know Guerin is a free-agent at the end of the year and has intimated that he wants to test the free agent waters. The Sharks has room in their cap to sign both player, with Rivet being the easier signing of the two. Guerin being re-signed to a long-term would depend on how the free agent market money is being thrown around and if the Sharks are willing to give him slightly above market value.
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Now the playoffs are over here are a couple of important dates for people:

NHL Draft day 1: June 22nd.

On day one the GMs will get trading again, there will be some moving and shaking in the draft order as usual when teams look to pick up the person they're after specifically and sometimes big moves can be made. I'm not saying it's going to happen but Tampa have a lot of payroll tied up in three or four players and Vincent Lecavalier's contract expires after next season so maybe they will look to clear some payroll at this point. I'm talking specifically about Brad Richards as once the draft is over his contract has a No Trade Clause that kicks in and he (and his $7.8 million contract) can't be moved without his prior consent. It is a possibility and even if that doesn't happen there will be plenty of other action to talk about on June 22nd.

Here are some notable top prospects you'll be hearing about come draft day:
Kyle Turris (C)
Patrick Kane (RW)
James Van Riemsdyk (LW)
Alexei Cherepanov (RW)
Sam Gagner (C - I think, maybe RW)
Karl Alzner (D)


Free Agency period: Begins July 1st.

Some good free agents are going to be out there for all the teams to fight and bid over, Free Agency can see players picking up fat paychecks as a result of bidding wars and while we all want to see great players on our teams we have to hope the GMs don't go overboard in their attempts to get them over onto their side. It's a tough balance but if teams don't get the guys they want or need they are forced to look to trades or giving players bigger minutes than they hoped they would need to at the start of the year and calling up others to fill roster spots.

Notable free agents:
Jean Sebastien Giguere (G)
Dominik Hasek (G)

Kimmo Timonen (D)
Sheldon Souray (D)
Danny Markov (D)
Matthieu Schneider (D)
Tom Preissing (D)
Scott Hannan (D)
Brian Rafalski (D)

Teemu Selanne (RW)
Todd Bertuzzi (RW)
Petr Sykora (RW)
Brendan Shanahan (RW)
Jason Blake (RW)
Bill Guerin (RW)

Keith Tkachuk (LW)
Ladislav Nagy (LW)
Kyle Calder (LW)
Ryan Smyth (LW)
Paul Kariya (LW)

Chris Drury (C)
Daniel Briere (C)
Dainius Zubrus (C)
Michal Handzus (C)
Peter Forsberg (C)
Scott Gomez (C)
Alexei Yashin (C)
Michal Nylander (C) (Subject to a player option on contract)
Mike Peca (C)

There are obviously lots more I didn't feel like mentioning (who cares if Kent Huskins or Trevor Leahy are free agents after all), these are most of the big names though.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

There has been talk about getting Kariya on Toronto... in Toronto. I gotta tell you, I think he'd be good for our team. He'd bring the speed we so desparately need on the wing as well provide a bonafide winger for Mats Sundin to play with. That said, I don't think he's coming here.

A lot of talk about Hartnell coming to town. The feeling being that he could be the Gary Roberts for the Leafs. I would like to see that as well.


As for the draft, I will say one thing about JFJ... he doesn't screw up as badly on draft than he does at everything else. So yeah... that's my compliment.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Trade news

Chris Gratton traded to Tampa Bay for a 2nd in 2007 or a 2nd in 2008, Florida's choice

Free Agent news

Jan Hlavac signs for Tampa bay

Quote:
"Jan Hlavac is a highly skilled player who we believe will fit in well within our group of top six forwards and a player we hope will develop some chemistry with Brad Richards,'' executive vice president and general manager Jay Feaster said. ''He is an excellent skater and is both a playmaker and a guy who can finish. The 'new NHL' is tailor-made for Jan's game, and he expressed through his agent a strong desire to return to the NHL as was evidenced by the cap- and budget-friendly contract Jan signed."


GM and Coaching news

'Iron' Mike Keenan signs as the new Calgary coach for next season.

Scott Howson takes on the role of Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager.


Thoughts
Going backwards:
Howson wasn't the first person offered the position he was just the first person who would actually take it.

If Calgary were looking for a good way to lose Iginla and Kipprusoff to free agency next season I think they just found it, Mike Keenan is a harsh bastard and notoriously difficult to play under, we'll see if he actually achieves enough to justify it.

Jan Hlavac - haha. Why did they bring him back...Tampa really have a screwed up budget, four really good players paid top dollar surrounded by ailing support and so on, Hlavac was barely top six when he left, another year old and off a season in the Czech Extraliga isn't going to equate to great numbers suddenly I doubt.

Gratton's reasonable as a third line centre, don't expect many points, don't be disappointed, he's gritty and at his age I expect he brings a bit of leadership down the centre of the ice for the Lightning, I don't think this is a bad move but the price for him was a tad steep really, he is pretty old now and I doubt he has a lot left on his contract.

Question
Are Tampa going to have to go through this bargain basement sifting again next year to find room to keep Vincent Lecavalier? Since he's due to hit free agency I have to wonder how long they will try to keep up this ridiculous way of working within the cap up, Richards won't be tradable in just over a week and he has four more years at $7.8 million.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

There's talk in some of the rumor mills that Philadelphia should try going after one of the top defensemen in free agency. Kimmo Timmonen being a good fit and probably not going to ask as much as Matthieu Schneider. I know that Timmonen and Schneider are two players on the Shark's radar.
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

The Flyers have gone nuts and traded the nashville first rounder they got in the Forsberg deadline deal for Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell.

The Philadelphia Predators then signed impending UFAs Timonen for 6 years at an average (and therefore cap hit) of 6.2 million and Scott Hartnell for four years at 4.2 million.

Nuts I tell you. I don't entirely like the numbers of the contracts, bit high maybe but I am continually impressed by the ballsy attitude of Paul Holmgren and Ed Snider, they don't know what rebuilding is and want this team back in the playoffs bad - they're willing to do a lot to see that happens and as a fan of the team I have to love their attitude in doing so, I just hope it translates to some good results next season. I'll have more thoughts later I'm sure.
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Well, that's one offseason move I thought the Flyers might make though I'm surprised they went after Hartnell as well.
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I think Timonen was always a likely target but the actual deal to grab his rights and sign him prior to July 1st was a big decision and something I don't think anyone really saw coming at all. Hartnell wasn't really on my wishlist as I viewed the D and C situations as bigger problems and I'd been thinking more about that for a long time.

The other move Holmgren has made was taking Pitkanen to arbitration, after a bad year it's a smart move, he may make a bit more than this past year and it may be a short contract when it's done but the important thing is that it means no one can give Pitkanen offer sheets. Very clever move by Holmgren to remove the possibility of outside sources bumping up the price on him.

If only Vancouver had done that with Kesler last year I wouldn't have to keep reading posts on HFBoards by their fans threatening redemption and the values of karma against the Flyers for being mean and trying to sign their players.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

It looks like the Sharks really wanted to keep Craig Rivet as part of the team for the long-term. They just re-signed Rivet to a 4-year contract worth $14 million. The Sharks had Rivet and Hannan as two of the UFA they had who were pretty much on the way out. With Rivet deciding on re-signing with the Sharks it's more than a good possibility that Scott Hannan will be playing somewhere else come the start of the 2007-2008 season.

With much of the blame for breakdowns in defense and play being heaped on Marleau during their second-round exit against Detroit, Patrick Marleau has become the big talk around San Jose and the league of becoming traide bait in addition to Vesa Toskala/Evegeni Nabokov. Marleau becomes a UFA at the end of next season and the Sharks may be willing to take feelers on offers for the Sharks current captain.

While I can understand all the rumors circulating about Marleau being an available player to be traded I think the Sharks will most likely keep and re-sign him to a long-term deal. Prior to their series against Detroit, Marleau had had a strong playoff career. Marleau also seems very set in wanting to remain a San Jose Shark for the forseeable future. His loss from the team if he does get traded won't be too big a loss production-wise with several young strong forwards like Michalek, Bernier (if he ever stays healthy and consistent) and Clowe to take up the slack, his loss would be felt more around the locker room as he's turned into the clear leader of the group.

I think if any player gets traded by the Sharks it would probably be Toskala and Bell. Toskala could easily start for many of the teams looking to upgrade their goalie position. The question now is what price will the Sharks be asking for in return for dealing Toskala. I'm predicting that if the Sharks are not able to entice someone like Andy Sutton and Mathieu Schneider then the Sharks will surely ask for a blueliner and a draft pick or two from whichever team has eyes on Toskala.

Dealing Toskala will just mean that the Sharks will have to promote one of the three prospects waiting in the wings up to the big show. Some say that Dmitri Patzold is the future of the team but his lackluster play this past season has actually hurt his spot on the prospect goalie chart for the team. Patzold will probably still be their futur unless a new prospect suddenly goes gangbusters next season, but Taylor Daykers and Thomas Greiss seem more ready to play back-up to Nabokov. If there's one thing the Sharks have never had a problem in terms of depth it's always been the goalie spot.

Mark Bell in my opinion will need to go. He's not a bad player but he just seem to never have clicked with the team and for some reason became prone to injuries once he got to San Jose. He may be the kind of player who may never recover from that bad first season with his new team and need a change in scenery to get back up to his usual level of performance. If they do keep Bell he will probably need to double up on the numbers he had this past season if he doesn't want to be traded by the deadline.

The San Jose Sharks really don't need to blow-up this team to fix their problem. Their corp of young defensemen in Vlasic, Carle and Ehrhoff played quite well down the stretch and now have a full year with playoff time under their skates. Their forward positions continue to be one of their strenghts. No other team has a bigger, stronger and faster group of forwards (despite what Blas may say), but they do need some veteran toughness on both sides of the rink and with the right wheeling and dealing this off-season they may just get those needs filled.

They've already addressed part of it by re-signing Craig Rivet. Now it's time to build on that and get one more tough-minded, veteran blueliner by way of trade or free agent signing. They also have room to contemplate going after a player like Chris Drury if Bell does get dealt away.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Wooo hooO!

Leafs have a goaltender! A good goaltender. Someone who can actually stop the puck from going in the net! Amazing. Yeah, it cost us a lot, and we picked up the 4 mil over 2 year contract of that bum Bell... but man, that's amazing! I am so happy.

We gave up a 1st, 2nd and a 4th for those two players. It's a lot, but man, I'm happy! Now let's get rid of this Razor who's dull and dinged.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Who is this goalie the Leafs picked up who seem to sound spectacular if I had to go by your reaction to the news?
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Toskala.

Good pick up by the leafs really, Vesa is very good generally and put up similar numbers to Nabokov last year. The sharks overpaid Craig Rivet, 3.5 million for him looks like too much from my point of view given that he was pretty bad in Montreal but if the Sharks want to put their faith in an 18 game stretch rather than his performance over a couple of years in the past in montreal where he was generally very poor defensively then go ahead, they made up for that by dumping Bell off to the Leafs though in the end so it evens out. Besides everyone is saying the same thing in that we overpaid Timonen and Hartnell anyway.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I think overpaying players nowadays would be the norm since teams are now under pressure to win right away instead of developing from within. So far, the Sharks have been pretty good about not overpaying too many players. I do agree that they overpaid Rivet by at least 750k to a million, but it wasn't going to be guaranteed that they would be able to land one of the top UFA defensemen.

Toskala going to the Leafs was a surprise since Boston seemed like the front-runner to trade for him. I'm just guessing that Boston didn't want to give up the same amount of picks Toronto seemed willing to part with. With Bell and his salary off the Shark's ledgers they now have a bit more room to work with in picking up a veteran free agent and maybe, just maybe, even improve their chances of picking up Drury who seem to be one of the players the Sharks are concentrating on.

Good player in Toskala. If he can stay healthy enough to play 50-60 games then the Leafs giving up a first round and a second round pick would be worth it. It looks like the Shark's actually ended up higher in the draft order in the first round than they would be if they kept their two first rounders they traded away.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

You're looking at a lot of Salary for Drury, I'd think the Marleau rumours would need to be true to fit him in properly under the cap at this point but obviously moving Bell out helps a fair bit.

Bruins are still rumoured to be chasing Fernandez from the Wild too so maybe that's where the rumours will now focus instead, the Bruins and Lightning definitely need better goalies at this point but Tampa need someone on a reasonable salary to keep in budget because of their big four.
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