I am kind of thinking if it's possible he is fired because he doesn't want Luongo, not because he does.

The guy Nonis who is replacing him is the one who acquired Luongo from Florida for the Canucks.
- jimbro83

Burke brought Nonis in when he was GM in Vancouver and then brought him to Toronto after he got the gig there.

During the CBA negotiations, Burke was the one pushing to punish teams for signing long, front loaded free agent contracts, probably because he couldn't get any free agents, like Brad Richards or Marion Gaborik, to play in Toronto. He also instituted, although I read the "fine tuning" may be taking it out or loosening the requirements for it, the language requiring free agents on long, front loaded contracts that retire before their contracts are up (when they are only making a half a million or million) have the difference it caused the cap hit to drop to be counted against the cap for the number of years they retire early.

He also was the individual wanting to have players banished to the minors, like Redden, have their salaries counted against the cap. He buried Jeff Fingers in the minors for 3 years "hiding" his 3 million dollar cap hit. Fingers contract was up at the end of last season so he had to try and handicap teams like the Blackhawks and Rangers as they have guys making over 3 million still buried in the minors which was perfectly legal under the old CBA. How they can retroactively punish teams that should have been grandfathered in under the old CBA is beyond me. That sounds like something a judge should be hearing.

Those issues and other militant posturing on a slew of other items by him helped extend the lockout and pissed off the players and the big market owners, Toronto being one of them. They had to collectively step in and tell hawks like him and Jeremy Jacobs of the Bruins as well as Bettman and Daly to stop the bull*hit and get the deal done.

Supposedly, the agreement in principle that got the lockout ended was almost identical to what the players proposed to the league a month ago. Bettman looked at for ten minutes and threw a hissy fit and his NHL entourage walked out of the meeting without discussing it.

The Toronto ownership probably thought what Burke pushed for and some of what he got was not in the best interest of the Toronto Maple Leafs and shi*canned him for it....and maybe not wanting to get involved in bringing Loungo in.

I would not be surprised to see Bettman go before the season is out. His little apology yesterday and boy, was he squirming, was probably insisted on by the owners. I really hate that guy.....

On what planet is MDZ worth $5M a season? Anything over $2.5M should be considered robbery.
- jmo16

Where did you read that?

There is a big difference between having 5 million dollars worth of cap space to SIGN him and what you actually pay him, particularly if you have to sign another 2 fowards in ADDITION to him to round out your NHL roster.

Read a little futher down in Jan's article and see how much was proposed to pay DelZotto, OK?

Where did you read that?

There is a big difference between having 5 million dollars worth of cap space to SIGN him and what you actually pay him, particularly if you have to sign another 2 fowards in ADDITION to him to round out your NHL roster.

Read a little futher down in Jan's article and see how much was proposed to pay DelZotto, OK?
- Downeaster

With all the problems the Isles have its amazing a troll of they'res has to try & start trouble over something like that.

With all the problems the Isles have its amazing a troll of they'res has to try & start trouble over something like that.
- B2B76

whether or not Visnovsky comes over to play in the NHL, the Islanders have to cough up their 2013 second round pick to the Ducks.

he should go off and worry about that.

On what planet is MDZ worth $5M a season? Anything over $2.5M should be considered robbery.
- jmo16

Griffin Reinhardt will make 3.275 million a year when he steps onto NHL ice.

WTF has he done to earn that....and 4 times as much as Hamonic?

With all the problems the Isles have its amazing a troll of they'res has to try & start trouble over something like that.
- B2B76

Calvin De Haan, Anders Lee...the list of problems goes on

Griffin Reinhardt will make 3.275 million a year when he steps onto NHL ice.

WTF has he done to earn that....and 4 times as much as Hamonic?
- Downeaster

I think Del Zotto might be the most underrated young defensemen in the league. For 2 of his 3 years in the league, he has greatly exceed expectations, and he is only 22 years old. Not to mention, with a couple of notable exceptions (i.e., Game 4 against the Devils), he was great in his own zone last year, which was borne out by his +/-, which I don't think is as useless of a stat as other people do.

Quite frankly, I think people overloook him because all of the love goes to McDonagh, and maybe because he is a bit of a pretty boy. I am not saying that the Rangers should pay Del Zotto $4 million per, but on another team with less cap constraints, he might be worth that.

I think Del Zotto might be the most underrated young defensemen in the league. For 2 of his 3 years in the league, he has greatly exceed expectations, and he is only 22 years old. Not to mention, with a couple of notable exceptions (i.e., Game 4 against the Devils), he was great in his own zone last year, which was borne out by his +/-, which I don't think is as useless of a stat as other people do.

Quite frankly, I think people overloook him because all of the love goes to McDonagh, and maybe because he is a bit of a pretty boy. I am not saying that the Rangers should pay Del Zotto $4 million per, but on another team with less cap constraints, he might be worth that.
- Pete V

I agree. Its a fine line. I want Sather to go hard to get him low to fit everyone but without pissing him off. I hope DZ sees this and allows us to fit him and everyone and put together a team that doesnt just have a 2 year window.

I agree. Its a fine line. I want Sather to go hard to get him low to fit everyone but without pissing him off. I hope DZ sees this and allows us to fit him and everyone and put together a team that doesnt just have a 2 year window.
- mrhattrick27

everyone gets their balls busted when they have their RFA contract negotiations. Staal, Dubi...it's like a right of passage

everyone gets their balls busted when they have their RFA contract negotiations. Staal, Dubi...it's like a right of passage
- steponmytoe

And Slats almost always gets a really good deal, which leaves him more money to spend for UFAs.

And Slats almost always gets a really good deal, which leaves him more money to spend for UFAs.
- Pete V

Or in this case, more money to spend on our own RFAs. I really like the structure of the club top to bottom. Big ticket items up front, and once they are gone we have a wave of new players right behind them to replace them. Our window doesn't have to be 2 years. Our window is how long Hank can be Hank. Which... is why this year drafting a goalie in Round 2 to is a must. You don't need round 1 to get blue chip goalie prospects.

Hey, wait a minute. If he is hurt he can get put on the LTIR, right?

When he is on the LTIR, he can't be bought out...but his salary does not count against the cap. (Don't forget he is on an under 35 contract, unlike Pronger...yessss).

So, when he comes off the LTIR, put his butt out then. Is it the law you have to buy a player out in the summer or can you buy him out at any time during the next two seasons?
- Downeaster

There is a window during each of the next two summers for buyouts. You can't buy him out mid-season.

Or in this case, more money to spend on our own RFAs. I really like the structure of the club top to bottom. Big ticket items up front, and once they are gone we have a wave of new players right behind them to replace them. Our window doesn't have to be 2 years. Our window is how long Hank can be Hank. Which... is why this year drafting a goalie in Round 2 to is a must. You don't need round 1 to get blue chip goalie prospects.
- mrhattrick27

Yeah I agree with this. Its almost like a Detroit Red Wings inspired plan where your team is layered so that when older players step down young players step up. Result is a long period of success.

The thing about drafting goalies is that you are almost ask likely to draft a great goalie in the late late rounds than in the earlier rounds. I mean, guys like Hank, Rinne, Thomas, Elliott are all 7th round or later. Goalie development is very unpredictable.

need one more team for the fantasy hockey league to give us an even 12 teams, and then I will lock it at 12.

Anybody else wants to play let me know.

Eklund says Oilers talking to Rag$ about Del Zotto (E4)

Eklund says Oilers talking to Rag$ about Del Zotto (E4)
- jimbro83

Yea? Well unless the names RNH, Hall, Eberle, Schultz, or Yakupov come up in conversation, I am hanging up the phone.

got two more spots in my league ...$$$... PM if interested

need one more team for the fantasy hockey league to give us an even 12 teams, and then I will lock it at 12.

Anybody else wants to play let me know.
- jimbro83

Is draft definitely Saturday morning? Or is the subject to change? If so I hope Yahoo has a good auto-draft lmao...

Yeah I agree with this. Its almost like a Detroit Red Wings inspired plan where your team is layered so that when older players step down young players step up. Result is a long period of success.

The thing about drafting goalies is that you are almost ask likely to draft a great goalie in the late late rounds than in the earlier rounds. I mean, guys like Hank, Rinne, Thomas, Elliott are all 7th round or later. Goalie development is very unpredictable.
- Rags2Riches

Agreed. But I think lately it seems like scouting goalies has been getting a lot better, where a lot of these blue chip goalie prospects are coming out of rounds 1-3. Mostly, round 2. So I'd invest the pick in round 2 and try and get a Gibson type in the system.

Yea? Well unless the names RNH, Hall, Eberle, Schultz, or Yakupov come up in conversation, I am hanging up the phone.
- mrhattrick27

maybe they sign him to a big offer sheet, something north of 5 million and the rangers will get the oilers 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks.

Safe to say that if and when the Rangers need to clear cap space before next season DZ will be expendable, I hope this contract isn't drawn out

maybe they sign him to a big offer sheet, something north of 5 million and the rangers will get the oilers 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks.
- tomburton99

DZ will be locked up. I am not worried.

Eklund says Oilers talking to Rag$ about Del Zotto (E4)
- jimbro83

His Rumors never make any sense

I found his source http://hockeybuzz.com/rumourgen.htm

n the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that a meeting last Saturday between Gary Bettman, lawyer Bob Batterman and Coyotes Captain Shane Doan laid the groundwork for the two sides to reach a tentative agreement.

Doan explained that the players weren’t asking for a salary cap of $64.3, the league was offering $62.5, so that they could get more money, but instead so that fewer players would have to be uprooted and have their lives altered.

Doan pleaded with Bettman that it wasn’t about money, but instead about family.

Brooks writes that Bettman was impressed with Doan’s plea and the owners moved to $64.3 and settled one of the last remaining roadblocks.

DZ will be locked up. I am not worried.
- mrhattrick27

I sure he will but if the oilers want DZ and offer him north of 5 million per the rangers basically could restock their proscept pool with the picks they would get. Especially if the oilers misssed the playoffs.