Edmonton fired Todd McLellan. Hitchcock taking over for them.



I've heard Duchene has been talking with them about extending his contract. Would not surprise me to see them resign there at about that amount with the cap space they have.

I heard that Skinner is looking to get about 9-9.5M in general whether thats Buffalo or elsewhere and likely could get it with the way he's playing.

God I hope the cap goes up. With all these guys starting to make 7-10M for being a Top 6 forward and middle six guys getting anywhere from 3-7M they cap is gonna dry up around the league REAL fast unless they keep raising the cap and/or allow for teams to buyout contracts without it counting against their total cap hit.
- Savetheembers33

The salary cap won't rise enough , it's avg rise each year is about 2.8 million.

The only way forward is for the owners, league and players come out of their bubble and realize either they need to raise the salary cap 100 million and the floor to 85 million or the players can no longer demand these 8 to 15 million dollar a year range .
Eliminate the cap recapture penalty, NMC, NTC, and change who can get 8 year terms based on age this way teams aren't stuck with guys whom are 36 through 40 years old watering down the league.

But I agree the rules and cap need to change to allow the league to grow and be successful.

How I picture the Manning/Rutta pairing:


- Rota's Rooter

Lol we can only hope Stan grows a pair and does that. Take whatever they can get and use that cap money to upgrade this team.

So its their fault they ran into a Mario Lemieux in his prime team when he was scoring over 2 ppg? Or that we traded arguably the best goalie ever away in Hasek who could probably helped win a cup or two
- Stan_Bowman

Hasek was a great goalie , but belfour when he faced hasek for the cup in 1999 was the better goalie , the ultimate prize is the Stanley Cup. Belfour in my opinion was a great goalie.

With all due respect, Chelios, Larmer and Roenick won exactly ZERO Stanley Cups in Chicago. If my math is correct, Hossa was significantly involved in 3 SCs. He's much more important to the franchise than anyone other than Hull, Hall, Mikita, Toews & Kane (looking only at the modern era).
- scottak

Totally agree scottak, his value was Priceless

Hasek was a great goalie , but belfour when he faced hasek for the cup in 1999 was the better goalie , the ultimate prize is the Stanley Cup. Belfour in my opinion was a great goalie.
- Taylorst1

Belfour was a great goalie...but the only reason the Sabres were playing for a Cup was Hasek.

Goalies aside for that series, if you could choose the team playing in front of them, it would have been the Stars by a country mile. Pretty sure the Sabres best player on that team was Mike Peca IIRC. Way after Hasek.

Meh...to me Saad has always seemed a little uncomfortable around cameras, maybe not the sharpest knife in the drawer and not what you'd characterize as a real "firecracker" in the personality department...which if you go by interviews equates to about 90% of all hockey players.

Can't remember what all this is about but have to say I really like how Saad has been playing since the white jersey thing. He's definitely been even better of late and you have to wonder if some of that can be attributed to playing with more confidence as a result of scoring; and/or playing a bit looser with a different guy behind the bench.
- HawkintheD

What are you talking about? If the player has no personality what good is he? How does he help the brand? McD ought to send him packing to the south where people care as little about hockey as Saad.

Lol we can only hope Stan grows a pair and does that. Take whatever they can get and use that cap money to upgrade this team.
- Taylorst1

Ah yes, glorious cap space!

Belfour was a great goalie...but the only reason the Sabres were playing for a Cup was Hasek.

Goalies aside for that series, if you could choose the team playing in front of them, it would have been the Stars by a country mile. Pretty sure the Sabres best player on that team was Mike Peca IIRC. Way after Hasek.
- HawkintheD

But Belfour was a billionaire.

Meh...to me Saad has always seemed a little uncomfortable around cameras, maybe not the sharpest knife in the drawer and not what you'd characterize as a real "firecracker" in the personality department...which if you go by interviews equates to about 90% of all hockey players.

Can't remember what all this is about but have to say I really like how Saad has been playing since the white jersey thing. He's definitely been even better of late and you have to wonder if some of that can be attributed to playing with more confidence as a result of scoring; and/or playing a bit looser with a different guy behind the bench.
- HawkintheD

88 and 19 don't hurt either.

What are you talking about? If the player has no personality what good is he? How does he help the brand? McD ought to send him packing to the south where people care as little about hockey as Saad.
- paulr

I blame you Canadians. You're all so even keel. Would it kill you to exhibit a pulse once in a while. You've stolen or lobotomized Saad's personality! (mostly red font)

88 and 19 don't hurt either.
- I Am The Breadman

19 is overpaid and 88 is bad for the brand!

I blame you Canadians. You're all so even keel. Would it kill you to exhibit a pulse once in a while. You've stolen or lobotomized Saad's personality! (mostly red font)
- HawkintheD

Build a wall!

88 and 19 don't hurt either.
- I Am The Breadman

True, but it's hard to argue that Saad has been a mere beneficiary of late...witness goal in game vs Minny.

Build a wall!
- paulr

Yeah...watch me Pallie!

True, but it's hard to argue that Saad has been a mere beneficiary of late...witness goal in game vs Minny.
- HawkintheD

Imagine the cap space if they traded all three?

Yeah...watch me Pallie!
- HawkintheD

#makecanadaworseagain

Yeah...watch me Pallie!
- HawkintheD

Make Canada pay for it.

Imagine the cap space if they traded all three?
- paulr

GLORIOUS!

#makecanadaworseagain
- HawkintheD

MCWA ... we could get the Village People to sing the theme song.

Young man, there's no need to feel cold
I said, young man, why don't you try to be bold
I said, young man, cause you're inthe great north
There's no need to be unhappy
Young man, there's a place you can go
I said, young man, when you need lots of snow
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time

It's fun to stay at the MCWA
It's fun to stay at the MCWA
They have everything for you men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
It's fun to stay at the MCWA
It's fun to stay at the MCWA
You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal
You can do whatever you feel

MCWA ... we could get the Village People to sing the theme song.

Young man, there's no need to feel cold
I said, young man, why don't you try to be bold
I said, young man, cause you're inthe great north
There's no need to be unhappy
Young man, there's a place you can go
I said, young man, when you need lots of snow
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time

It's fun to stay at the MCWA
It's fun to stay at the MCWA
They have everything for you men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
It's fun to stay at the MCWA
It's fun to stay at the MCWA
You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal
You can do whatever you feel
- paulr

Might have made the Village People even more popular with all the veiled coke references.

Make Canada pay for it.
- paulr

Make Mexico pay for BOTH walls.

Make Mexico pay for BOTH walls.
- StLBravesFan

Make Mexico pay for BOTH walls.
- StLBravesFan

El Chapo could cover the cost himself.

El Chapo could cover the cost himself.
- RickJ

He'll get a pardon and become the head of Homeland security.

What are you talking about? If the player has no personality what good is he? How does he help the brand? McD ought to send him packing to the south where people care as little about hockey as Saad.
- paulr

I know you are being sarcastic, but camera-friendly/personality was what Ditka cared about with his team of champs.