Bye Bye Hossa... Hello Heatley!!!

[el tigre]

They really missed the boat on Nolan and Belfour. Both could have been bought out, likely should have been.

Now Dan, you're going to have to brush up on your "money management" skills if you want to have any success as an armchair GM in the "new NHL". Hockey knowledge just doesn't cut it anymore.

Buying out someone's contract is the VERY, VERY, VERY last resort - only to be used for someone who, for whatever reason, is untradeable. It is basically a strategy used to cut your losses rather juggle your lineup. You write a cheque for a few million dollars and get absolutely NOTHING - except the opportunity to spend even more money replacing the guy you just bought out (hopefully at a cheaper price, but still). All you're doing is throwing money at your problems instead of solving them.

Players don't get fired in the NHL - they get traded. When you fire someone you're on the hook for severence pay - which is what buying out someone's contract really is. No respectable accountant running a modern NHL team is going to pay millions in severence pay if he can simply transfer the salary to someone else.

Nolan is probably untradeable and a good candidate for a buyout. He's old, injured and has a huge contract. Belfour is not untradeable, and neither was DeVries (obviously) or anyone else on the Senators team. There will be a lot more trades happening between now and training camp as teams adjust to "make their number".

[Chambokl]

El Tigre,

You are right but I think Belfour is also untradable. He is 40 and has a sore back. How bad could it get for a goalie.

You might be able to trade Belfour at the trading deadline for a team who nneds a goalie and has room under the cap.

I really don't have a clue what the Leafs were thinking. Actually I don't know what they have been thinking for the last 30 years....lol

Chambo

[flagolfnut]

Old= Hasek, can he pull it off this year. I haven't read this entire thread so I don't know if this has already been talked about, but I think we need a new goalie, someone like Luango.

["Richard"]

Alot more players should have been bought out than actaully where. If you can go ahead and get a fresh start by writting a few checks you might as well, its better off then being screwed for the next 2-3 years while jugling a line up and getting used to the new CBA

[mberube]

Old= Hasek, can he pull it off this year. I haven't read this entire thread so I don't know if this has already been talked about, but I think we need a new goalie, someone like Luango.

Maybe next year cause he will probably be an URFA next year. Arbitration is today I think and they will give him a one-year contract.

[flagolfnut]

That would be sweet!! Because I think next year we'll definetly need a goalie

["Richard"]

Ottawa should offer Roberto a 6 year 30 mil contract. He might not be worth that much in the first few years of the contract but a goalie like that, you want him down for a long term deal. He will make more than that over the next 6 years though in the NHL...

[Ty Webb]

I, personally, have always liked Heatley. Despite making some mistakes (didn't Bonk (a czech) once get nailed for impaired while being stuck on a snowbank), he is a good kid. What is more important is team chemistry. Certain players click well together. Remember the line Wendel Clarke first played on in Toronto? Ottawa, in my opinion, has always lacked this chemistry.

Maybe, mardi gras in the stands is the answer.

PS Broken27 should change his name to BrokenRecord.

[broken27]

I, personally, have always liked Heatley. Despite making some mistakes (didn't Bonk (a czech) once get nailed for impaired while being stuck on a snowbank), he is a good kid. What is more important is team chemistry. Certain players click well together. Remember the line Wendel Clarke first played on in Toronto? Ottawa, in my opinion, has always lacked this chemistry.

Maybe, mardi gras in the stands is the answer.

PS Broken27 should change his name to BrokenRecord.

Bonk's charges were dropped as it was an unsubstantiated charge by some woman officer who was later reprimanded for her role in the situation. Keep trying though. I'm not saying no Czech has ever been busted for DUI (hell, we're the top beer consuming people on Earth per capita). But when people start dying as a direct result of a decision someone makes, it's infinitely more serious than plowing your car into a snowbank. At least in my opinion.

As for Eltigre:

COMPLIANCE RULES

Will Clubs have an opportunity to make off-season adjustments to their rosters to come into compliance with the new CBA rules?

Yes. Clubs will have a one-time opportunity, during a six-day period, to exercise buy-outs of existing player contracts. Amounts paid to players pursuant to these compliance buy-outs will not be counted against a club's upper limit or the League-wide players' share. Clubs that choose to exercise compliance buy-outs must pay the buy-out amount over the remaining term of the contract.
-----------------
So, Toronto missed the boat on buying these guys out. Your assertion that it is a last resort move is only partly correct. A player has to agree to being bought out under normal circumstances, and it counts against the cap. A guy like Belfour won't do it. So, to get rid of his contract (which by any standard would have been a good idea), they would have had to exercise the buyout option "special period" that was granted post-CBA ratification.

Neither Nolan or Belfour has much value on the trade market really, both because of age, contract and injury concerns. They may be able to parlay those guys into a couple of draft picks, but even then, they missed out on a really lucrative FA market this season. The reality is that JFJ is likely trying to align himself for NEXT year's free agency market and has already thrown in the towel on this season. Next year, the age for unrestricted free agency drops (to 29 I think), and there should be some "younger" FA talent available. With Toronto's lack of a development system, this might be a good short-term fix to get some mid-age players into the lineup.

My money management skills are okay eltigre, but unfortunately your scenario of buying out Nolan now is not likely. Any buyouts made now count directly against the cap.

Cheers,
Dan

["Richard"]

My cousin lives in FLA and he just told me that there is a rumor he just heard. FLA is going to sign Roberto Luongo to an extension ontop of his current year for 6 years 35million and trade him to ottawa for Redden and hasek....

If there is any truth to this and I was ottawa I would get this done before FLA changed their mind, not give them any time to realize what a horrible trade this is for them. Anyway, anyone else hear anything? I know there are usually 20 different rumors floating around about the same player but still, fun to speculate

[broken27]

Well, Luongo just took a big hit with a $3.2M arbitrator awarded 1-year contract. He's not going to be happy about this... Trade to Ottawa for Hasek and Redden would be hilarious. As much as I love Hasek, the idea of likely the best young netminder in the NHL playing in Ottawa after the La-lean years is kind of neat.

Haven't seen or heard anything about it, though. None of the hockey boards are abuzz with this the way they normally get. Who knows...

Dan

[1972Apex]

Bonk's charges were dropped as it was an unsubstantiated charge by some woman officer who was later reprimanded for her role in the situation. Keep trying though.

In actual fact Bonk got off on a technicality. You or I would have gone directly to jail, being of course just normal everyday laymen...

[mberube]

WOW! This is bad news for Theo in MTL. My guess is that he was waiting for this arbitration decision to sit down with Bob. Now that he knows what arbitration will do to him he will probably sign lower with MTL.

I heard a rumour a few weeks back about a trade between MTL and FLA. Theo and Luongo and other players.

I was sure Luongo would have been a URFA next year but its not the case. He may what to be traded!!

[el tigre]

So, Toronto missed the boat on buying these guys out. Your assertion that it is a last resort move is only partly correct. A player has to agree to being bought out under normal circumstances, and it counts against the cap. A guy like Belfour won't do it. So, to get rid of his contract (which by any standard would have been a good idea), they would have had to exercise the buyout option "special period" that was granted post-CBA ratification.

Neither Nolan or Belfour has much value on the trade market really, both because of age, contract and injury concerns. They may be able to parlay those guys into a couple of draft picks, but even then, they missed out on a really lucrative FA market this season.

When it comes to Nolan, yes they missed the boat. The guy is so injury prone (he's recovering from surgery as we speak) that he hardly played for the Leafs at all. When he did play he did not perform. Nobody else wants him - in fact nobody else wanted him when the Leafs got him. JFJ should've cut his losses and moved on.

Belfour is a different story. His injuries are not as bad, and when he is healthy he is still one of the top goaltenders in the league. Given that the Leaf's defence sucks and they are one of the most penalized teams in the league (and we'll be seeing a lot more power plays this year), they'll need a top-notch goaltender to have ANY hope of making the playoffs. Keeping him is not a bad gamble, and they could certainly get more than a couple of draft picks for him in a trade. Depending on how the season goes, they might move him at the trade deadline.

[mberube]

Belfour is a different story. His injuries are not as bad, and when he is healthy he is still one of the top goaltenders in the league. Given that the Leaf's defence sucks and they are one of the most penalized teams in the league (and we'll be seeing a lot more power plays this year), they'll need a top-notch goaltender to have ANY hope of making the playoffs. Keeping him is not a bad gamble, and they could certainly get more than a couple of draft picks for him in a trade. Depending on how the season goes, they might move him at the trade deadline.

True. He is the main reason Toronto eliminated Ottawa last season. He was a wall.

[el tigre]

In actual fact Bonk got off on a technicality. You or I would have gone directly to jail, being of course just normal everyday laymen...

My memory is a little hazy, but I think you are right. "Unsubstantiated" in Bonk's case means "not proven in court" - not necessarily that "he didn't do it". And the "reprimand" was for arresting him improperly and letting Bonk beat the rap on a "technicality" - not for charging him with the crime. But I guess Dan wears a different shade of sunglasses than you or I.

["Richard"]

what did bonk do? Also, what is a good site for me to look at team salaries and cap space and free agents still available

[mberube]

what did bonk do? Also, what is a good site for me to look at team salaries and cap space and free agents still available

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6926

[SGH]

what did bonk do? Also, what is a good site for me to look at team salaries and cap space and free agents still available

www.thefourthperiod.com - provides everything you're looking for in an easy-to-navigate format.

Plus Dan has his hand in it, so you know the coverage is unbiased

[broken27]

My memory is a little hazy, but I think you are right. "Unsubstantiated" in Bonk's case means "not proven in court" - not necessarily that "he didn't do it". And the "reprimand" was for arresting him improperly and letting Bonk beat the rap on a "technicality" - not for charging him with the crime. But I guess Dan wears a different shade of sunglasses than you or I.

How do I wear a different shade of sunglasses? When did I say he didn't do it? Charges were dropped, whatever the reason was. If you're arrested, and the officer doesn't follow the rules, you can get off. Simple as that. I didn't say anything to the contrary. But there's a difference between being convicted of something and being charged with something. Just ask OJ.

Dan

["Richard"]

is there a min and max number of people you can have on your roster this year???

[LobWedge]

So, how long do you figure before Luongo demands a trade?

["Richard"]

Also whats going on with marc andre fluery? how much is he going to make and why isn't he on the PIT list at

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6926

[mberube]

Also whats going on with marc andre fluery? how much is he going to make and why isn't he on the PIT list at

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6926

MAF was very shaky at best last year in the AHL. I don’t think he is ready for the big leagues yet, at least not as #1 goalie.

["Richard"]

Wasn't he picked first overall and sopposed to be the next patrick roy??

[broken27]

is there a min and max number of people you can have on your roster this year???

16.4. Roster Size; Players Subject to Player Contract.
(a) For the 1995/96 League Year and thereafter there shall be a maximum of 24 players on each Club's Playing Roster at any one time, provided, that in the event the NHL expands to 28 or more Clubs, the NHL will have the option, at its sole discretion, to reduce the maximum Playing Roster of each Club to 23, commencing with the League year in which such expansion team(s) begin playing, provided, however, that, on the date of each season's trade deadline, a Club's Playing Roster may be increased to any number of players the Club, in its discretion, so determines. There shall be no
reduction of the required minimum Playing Rosters of the Clubs, except in case of emergency, below eighteen skaters and two goalkeepers.

That's from the old CBA, but you can be fairly safe in assuming the minimum of 23 is still the same. Lowest it could go is 20 (4 lines, 6D, 2G)...

Dan

[mberube]

So, how long do you figure before Luongo demands a trade?

I don’t know but one think I don’t get. When you are a RFA you are allowed to receive offers from other teams. The team that owns you must match the highest qualified offer if they want to keep him. Does this mean that nobody has offered anything major for Roberto. That’s crazy.

[mberube]

Wasn't he picked first overall and sopposed to be the next patrick roy??

Ya but he was brought up to quickly with a poor team. 18 for a goalie is wayyyyy to young. That shook his confidence IMO.

[LobWedge]

Give Luongo a half-decent team in front of him and he wins twice as many games as he loses. IMO with the equipment changes for goalies this year, he will be one of the guys that will be able to adjust easily (ala Brodeur, Theodore, Hasek) because he's a goaltender, not a shot blocker (ala Giguere). His stock will rise as a result and he will be rewarded next season, if he stays focused on the task at hand.

[Hank Hill]

Two words for Nolan and the Leafs "Boo Hoo".