so at best 5 consistent goalies in the entire league
- Crimsoninja

Bryzgalov is one of the highest paid goalies in the league though.

If he wasn't getting paid the money he is, he would not be under such scrutiny.

The Minnesota Wild just gave out twin $100 million contracts. Were they known to be a wealthy franchise? The New Jersey Devils gave Kovalchuk the contract they did. The Florida Panthers overpaid for every decent UFA on the market last year. The Buffalo Sabres signed Leino and Erhoff to absurd contracts.

There are not too many teams that can cry poor anymore. And besides, there are always a few teams that figure it out before everyone else does. The Red Wings broke the barrier when it came to the frontloaders. But I do agree, once a loophole is exploited, it does become somewhat of a copy cat league.

And for the record, I would have done the same exact thing that Holmgren did, because my obligation is to my club, and not to the greater health of the league as a whole. If you don't like the rules, by all means change them, but I would never operate under a different set of rules than everybody else.
- Pete V

So you would do this or wouldn't?

Most GMs around the league wouldn't have done what Holmgren just did. Not saying he should go to hell for this; but within the league he is employed by, he is the sketchiest of the sketchy executives.

Bryzgalov is one of the highest paid goalies in the league though.

If he wasn't getting paid the money he is, he would not be under such scrutiny.
- MidnightMarauder

and he has time to get his game together and earn that money. if the cap continues to rise and he plays better that cap hit will seem like a steal.


in spite of my previous trolling, i assure you im not as big of a homer as i come across. and not even a huge fan of Bryz (though i think much of the criticism is overblown).
im merely playing defense/devil's advocate here today.

and he has time to get his game together and earn that money. if the cap continues to rise and he plays better that cap hit will seem like a steal.


in spite of my previous trolling, i assure im not as big of a homer as i come across. and not even a huge fan of Bryz (though i think much of the criticism is overblown).
im merely playing defense/devil's advocate here today.
- Crimsoninja

fair enough

http://www.hockeybuzz.com...ts-Child-Please/134/45682

So you would do this or wouldn't?

Most GMs around the league wouldn't have done what Holmgren just did. Not saying he should go to hell for this; but within the league he is employed by, he is the sketchiest of the sketchy executives.
- MidnightMarauder

I would do it. And I would do it with a smile on my face. It is part of the negotiated CBA that you can offer sheet a player, which gives Restricted Free Agents just a little bit of leverage. The reason why you don't see it more is: (1) there is a low chance of success; and (2) the draft picks that you have to give up more often than not make it not worth doing it.

I just really don't get how there can be a heavily negotiated provision of the CBA that takes up pages and pages of the god forsaken agreement, and then people get mad at clubs for using it.

Let's face it, 99% of us were happy when the Rangers deep sixed Redden, because as unseemly as it may have been do to so, it was the right thing to do for the organization.

So you would do this or wouldn't?

Most GMs around the league wouldn't have done what Holmgren just did. Not saying he should go to hell for this; but within the league he is employed by, he is the sketchiest of the sketchy executives.
- MidnightMarauder

But you can't argue with the intelligence of the move. Now you guarantee he either plays for your club or at the least definitely doesn't play for one of your rivals. The four first-round pick? Who cares about that. He just locked up one of the league's best players at a position of need for the team for a decent cap hit. Yes, 14 years is a long time but guess what? Holmgren won't be around in 14 years to worry about that. He probably won't be around in 10 years wither.

Now, are offer sheets well-liked in the industry? No. But they were trying to execute a trade, weren't making enough progress and were nervous another team, probably the Rangers, was lurking ready to make their own pitch. This effectively ends that possibility. It's good strategy and a step I can't blame them for taking.

ok you have no scoring
end of story
- Crimsoninja

Scored enough in those 8 straight wins against the Flyers, or is it 9, or 10? Been so long, kind of lost track.

Scored enough in those 8 straight wins against the Flyers, or is it 9, or 10? Been so long, kind of lost track.
- B2B76

8

8
- MidnightMarauder

I know. And I also know that it means squat the next time they play, but I noticed something bout that. It was one of the few things I ever saw Crimso get annoyed about, those losing streak jabs, seemed to get under the skin just a bit. Slip your jabs in where you can, u know mehn.

But you can't argue with the intelligence of the move. Now you guarantee he either plays for your club or at the least definitely doesn't play for one of your rivals. The four first-round pick? Who cares about that. He just locked up one of the league's best players at a position of need for the team for a decent cap hit. Yes, 14 years is a long time but guess what? Holmgren won't be around in 14 years to worry about that. He probably won't be around in 10 years wither.

Now, are offer sheets well-liked in the industry? No. But they were trying to execute a trade, weren't making enough progress and were nervous another team, probably the Rangers, was lurking ready to make their own pitch. This effectively ends that possibility. It's good strategy and a step I can't blame them for taking.
- gkmkiller

It makes sense from the Flyers standpoint because they have the yearly revenue to throw their money around to anyone they choose to.

This move exposes the huge divide between teams that can and teams that can't. Nashville simply doesn't have the wherewithal to compete with the Flyers, Rangers, Leafs etc.

The Rangers would be worse off if they dealt for Weber, bottom-line. Too many assets would have to be given up in order to bring him to NY.

It's dirty, and yes it is smart, but deals like this are the ones that expose the huge financial divide not unrestricted free agency.

I know. And I also know that it means squat the next time they play, but I noticed something bout that. It was one of the few things I ever saw Crimso get annoyed about, those losing streak jabs, seemed to get under the skin just a bit. Slip your jabs in where you can, u know mehn.
- B2B76

It's a significant streak and I would be annoyed too. I am aware you were throwing jabs, just wanted to reiterate this fact, haha

Sam Carchidi ‏@BroadStBull
Weber's agent, Epp, said he was "pretty certain" that Weber had a conversation with Scott Hartnell before signing w #Flyers.

http://free-beauty-tips.g...m.com/quickfixeshair.html

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
Won't spent much time scouring for Weber trade details, but I've heard Preds wanted Couturier, Schenn and something else from Flyers. Ouch.

It makes sense from the Flyers standpoint because they have the yearly revenue to throw their money around to anyone they choose to.

This move exposes the huge divide between teams that can and teams that can't. Nashville simply doesn't have the wherewithal to compete with the Flyers, Rangers, Leafs etc.

The Rangers would be worse off if they dealt for Weber, bottom-line. Too many assets would have to be given up in order to bring him to NY.

It's dirty, and yes it is smart, but deals like this are the ones that expose the huge financial divide not unrestricted free agency.
- MidnightMarauder

Why is dirty to sign a guy to an offer sheet? For a RFA, the only leverage they have is the possibility of some team signing them to an offer sheet. Otherwise, that player has no leverage whatsoever. And make no mistake about it, GMs use that lack of leverage to their advantage in low balling RFAs and dragging out their negotiations until camp arrives.

You make an argument that it is more dirty for GMs to collude in a system where they don't utilize an expressly negotiated rule in order to lessen the bargaining powers of the RFAs on their roster.

Somebody needs to write down all of the unwritten rules and include them in the next CBA.

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
Won't spent much time scouring for Weber trade details, but I've heard Preds wanted Couturier, Schenn and something else from Flyers. Ouch.
- jimbro83

so the preds probably wanted kreider, steps and something elsew from the rangers.

so the preds probably wanted kreider, steps and something elsew from the rangers.
- tomburton99

And it's Couturier+Schenn+more (or Krieder+Stepan/McD+more) versus four 20-30 first round picks...

It makes sense from the Flyers standpoint because they have the yearly revenue to throw their money around to anyone they choose to.

This move exposes the huge divide between teams that can and teams that can't. Nashville simply doesn't have the wherewithal to compete with the Flyers, Rangers, Leafs etc.

The Rangers would be worse off if they dealt for Weber, bottom-line. Too many assets would have to be given up in order to bring him to NY.

It's dirty, and yes it is smart, but deals like this are the ones that expose the huge financial divide not unrestricted free agency.
- MidnightMarauder

I don't necessarily agree with that. I know they had every intention of ponying up big money for Suter and they had to realize that was going to be a frontloaded deal paying upwards of $10 million for the first couple of years. That precedent was set last year with the Ehrhoff and Richards contracts. The dollar amount in the first years of the deal certainly shouldn't have been a mystery.

We also know they were willing to offer Weber a long-term deal along those same lines with another huge up front bonus. Therefore I have to assume Poile was ready and able to pony up somewhere in the neighborhood of $20MM - $24MM for those two players in cash money. Sure, they may have to allocate all of that to one player (Weber) now but I have to believe the cash itself is there if they want to spend it.

We also can't forget they were considering dealing for Nash and other expensive players at last year's deadline. Under the right circumstances, if Poile thinks its in the best interest of his club then he has the discretion to spend the money.

yes to both questions

I hope he is very quiet about the players needing to accept cutbacks once the lockout starts
- jimbro83

I haven't been able to find anything quoting Snider on the CBA at all. But hey, maybe I'm not going back far enough.

Katie Strang‏@KatieStrangESPN

‪#NYR‬ Rangers were also on Shea Weber's short list; d-man RFA visited NY recently, ESPN NY has learned. Story to come

#NYR‬ Weber liked NYR org -- ownership, hockey ops, coaching -- but prospect of living in Manhattan was main deterrent

#NYR‬ Acoording to agent, Weber a "small-town guy, [NY] is a huge city. [PHI] just seemed a better fit at this time in his career"

....

..So we tried to sign him to an offer sheet too? That's what I'm getting from this.

Katie Strang‏@KatieStrangESPN

‪#NYR‬ Rangers were also on Shea Weber's short list; d-man RFA visited NY recently, ESPN NY has learned. Story to come

#NYR‬ Weber liked NYR org -- ownership, hockey ops, coaching -- but prospect of living in Manhattan was main deterrent

#NYR‬ Acoording to agent, Weber a "small-town guy,
- Henrik's Crease[NY] is a huge city. [PHI] just seemed a better fit at this time in his career"

....

..So we tried to sign him to an offer sheet too? That's what I'm getting from this.

I love everyone who says NY is a big city, then when they come here and move to the suburbs, like CC Sabathia, realize that it's not as big as they first thought and easy to get lost in NY given all that's going around.

That excuse is such garbage and I hate hearing it. Play up in Montreal or Toronto and see what's it like if you struggle and if Weber thinks Philly will be any better, he's deluding himself.

I love everyone who says NY is a big city, then when they come here and move to the suburbs, like CC Sabathia, realize that it's not as big as they first thought and easy to get lost in NY given all that's going around.

That excuse is such garbage and I hate hearing it. Play up in Montreal or Toronto and see what's it like if you struggle and if Weber thinks Philly will be any better, he's deluding himself.
- airjan23

BINGO! Philly might be tougher than NY when it comes to the fans getting on players.

BINGO! Philly might be tougher than NY when it comes to the fans getting on players.
- B2B76

well, definitely looks like we were waiting for Weber domino to fall until we made a move

Weber has fallen, so lets see what plan B is

well, definitely looks like we were waiting for Weber domino to fall until we made a move

Weber has fallen, so lets see what plan B is
- jimbro83

I feel like either Nash to the Rangers heats up again or we push harder for Doan