I'm pretty sure both of these guys are professional.
I've never even seen a picture of these guys together, they could be the farthest thing from close.
- GardinerExpress

like i said, just what i've read from guys like "hopesmoke" "mc79" etc.....it's possible that they're just trying to knock an MSM guy down a peg or two.

either way, even if his relationship with nonis has nothing to do with it.......dreger's work isn't as good as it used to be, IMO.

If team A won't give it to him, team B will.
Look at a guy like Andrew Ference. Is he really that special to warrant a NMC
- GardinerExpress

Not at all....but I get your point, it's a selling feature, it is not going away, but they still suck. You should know as well as anyone else.

Travis Yost: Spezza's No Trade List
- Travis Yost

Too bad, I see Nasvhille as a really good fit.

These not trade lists have got to stop. These guys already have guaranteed contracts. Time for Gm's and the league to take their heads out of their asses and put an end to these clauses. You sign a guaranteed contract you get traded where ever the club sees fit.
- Iggysbff

Just because no one wants to play in Edmonton doesn't mean these lists don't make sense. Players willing to play for less money in exchange for a guarantee of living in a city you like is entirely reasonable.

nonis is his cousin. i dont know about you, but if i'm an exec of a hockey team, i'm a little less inclined to give "inside info" to a guy who's related to the GM of a rival team.

the fact that he's a member of the leafs, and trying to get a jab at them has nothing to do with anything.........thanks for coming out though.

several people have been saying that dreger's work has gone down hill the last little while........this isn't something that just came to me.
- sensarmy_11

how many times do you talk to your cousins? Me not to often. just because he's his cousin doesn't mean other gms will not talk to him. as for his work I take with a grain of salt, just like Eks rumors du jour.

So we assume the western canadian teams are all on Spezza's list, then we have:

FLA
CBJ
NSH
NYI
EDM
CAL
VAN
WPG
XXX
XXX

And that the last two spots are made up of two of Carolina, Buffalo, New Jersey, and Phoenix...

that leaves Anaheim, St Louis, Chicago, Dallas, and Washington as teams who may be interested in Spezza as a 2C, and most could afford him besides Chicago.

Outside chance that NYR, SJ might be interested after buyouts/trades of B Richards and Thorton.

And of course NJ and PHX if they are not on his list would probably be interested.

So that's a maximum of 9 teams, realistically, who may be in on the bidding, which isn't bad. But if NYR and SJ have n interest, you're down to 7, and if 2 of NJ, PHX, are on his list, we're down to 5.

Just because no one wants to play in Edmonton doesn't mean these lists don't make sense. Players willing to play for less money in exchange for a guarantee of living in a city you like is entirely reasonable.
- Antilles

how often do you think they take less money to add a NTC? my guess is almost never.

i think it's just common practice now, because players want to control where they go. i don't think it has anything to do with being in a city they like, but rather controlling where they go if they do get traded.

Just because no one wants to play in Edmonton doesn't mean these lists don't make sense. Players willing to play for less money in exchange for a guarantee of living in a city you like is entirely reasonable.
- Antilles

I get it, it's the way of the world, and I'm not suggesting the Alan Eagleson Era was a better system at all, but the NHL model is still a joke. Players still hold all the cards and have all the security.
NFL model is truly the best. If you can't perform your duties your gonzo.

Not at all....but I get your point, it's a selling feature, it is not going away, but they still suck. You should know as well as anyone else.
- Jeropotato

Two crazy suggestions to address some of the concerns about NTCs.

1) NTCs are a function of salary. Players exceeding amount X are only allowed to specify Y teams on their NTC. Possibly even broken down year to year based on salary rather than cap hit.

2) Players can have an NTC for practically the entire time they're under contract, but with transfer windows. No Player can have an NTC for a period exceeding 16 consecutive months, with X days/weeks/months buffer. The distrubution of their protected periods can vary completely beyond this.

how often do you think they take less money to add a NTC? my guess is almost never.

i think it's just common practice now, because players want to control where they go. i don't think it has anything to do with being in a city they like, but rather controlling where they go if they do get traded.
- sensarmy_11

100% Bubba. I think that amount of control is a luxury, especially considering the money they make.

how often do you think they take less money to add a NTC? my guess is almost never.

i think it's just common practice now, because players want to control where they go. i don't think it has anything to do with being in a city they like, but rather controlling where they go if they do get traded.
- sensarmy_11

Almost everyone on the Blues with one could have gotten more money, instead they took a NTC. And controlling where they go has everything to do with being in a city or playing for a team they like. Players take home town discounts, they deserve to know the team can't turn around and ship them somewhere they don't want to be.

I get it, it's the way of the world, and I'm not suggesting the Alan Eagleson Era was a better system at all, but the NHL model is still a joke. Players still hold all the cards and have all the security.
NFL model is truly the best. If you can't perform your duties your gonzo.
- Jeropotato

One thing I'd love to see come over from the NFL is contract restructuring. I look at guys like Horcoff and I feel like he would have loved not to be traded and we'd have loved to push the remaining 7 million into a different configuration.

Especially in the NHL, where teams couldn't pull the "restructure or we'll cut you from the team" manoeuvre, it'd be interesting to explore for both sides.

how many times do you talk to your cousins? Me not to often. just because he's his cousin doesn't mean other gms will not talk to him. as for his work I take with a grain of salt, just like Eks rumors du jour.
- zazzle

I wouldnt even be able to name most of my 3rd cousins, 2nd cousins as well for that matter

So we assume the western canadian teams are all on Spezza's list, then we have:

FLA
CBJ
NSH
NYI
EDM
CAL
VAN
WPG
XXX
XXX

And that the last two spots are made up of two of Carolina, Buffalo, New Jersey, and Phoenix...

that leaves Anaheim, St Louis, Chicago, Dallas, and Washington as teams who may be interested in Spezza as a 2C, and most could afford him besides Chicago.

Outside chance that NYR, SJ might be interested after buyouts/trades of B Richards and Thorton.

And of course NJ and PHX if they are not on his list would probably be interested.

So that's a maximum of 9 teams, realistically, who may be in on the bidding, which isn't bad. But if NYR and SJ have n interest, you're down to 7, and if 2 of NJ, PHX, are on his list, we're down to 5.
- TommyDeVito

All you need is 2-3 teams to get a good deal done.

One thing I'd love to see come over from the NFL is contract restructuring. I look at guys like Horcoff and I feel like he would have loved not to be traded and we'd have loved to push the remaining 7 million into a different configuration.

Especially in the NHL, where teams couldn't pull the "restructure or we'll cut you from the team" manoeuvre, it'd be interesting to explore for both sides.
- Morris

At the end of the day, that's the biggest concern, players not living up to salary expectations can cripple a team in the cap era.

Does anyone really see Spezza doing well on a team coached by notorious hard ass ken hitchcock?

I can see why he didnt want to go to Nashville. The guy is in a contract year, and the top scorers on Nashville usually end up with 50 points. He could clean up in Anaheim if he got pp time with getz and perry

I wouldnt even be able to name most of my 3rd cousins, 2nd cousins as well for that matter
- GardinerExpress

All my Grand parents are 1st generation Canadians....not too sure I have any 2nd cousins on this side of the Atlantic....and most my first cousins are uncivilized prairie hicks.

All you need is 2-3 teams to get a good deal done.
- Cup 06

Good yes. Great no.

Does anyone really see Spezza doing well on a team coached by notorious hard ass ken hitchcock?

I can see why he didnt want to go to Nashville. The guy is in a contract year, and the top scorers on Nashville usually end up with 50 points. He could clean up in Anaheim if he got pp time with getz and perry
- GardinerExpress

Honestly....unless I went out of my way to follow the Sens, I wouldn't know much about Spezza. Barely heard his name in the MSM out west in a few years.

Does anyone really see Spezza doing well on a team coached by notorious hard ass ken hitchcock?

- GardinerExpress

While I don't think so; I wouldn't have expect Hull to either, but that worked out pretty all right.

Good yes. Great no.
- Jeropotato

Great will have to include other pieces on the Sens end.

I'm surprised that the Preds are part of the list. I guess we can remove them as a trading partner. I think he will go to the Blues, Ducks, Rangers or Stars.

I read there are three untouichables on Chicago outside of Ketih Toews and Kane.

Seabrook Hammer and Saad.
- sycsam

Weren't there rumors of Smith+ for Hammer earlier in the year? untouchable my ass

Buffalo not an automatic mention?

Travis Yost: Spezza's No Trade List
- Travis Yost

If he truly has Nashville on his no trade list- Frnak him- we have a much nicer city than St. Louis and who the hell wants to give up the farm for a soft forward only signed for the next year.