what about lombardi, no one thought he would be ready that quick.... crap happens... just saying
- Not_Sure42

I think it's a bit different. I personally don't think Savard will ever play again and if he does it will be for a different team. He will most likely retire.

He's not going to be cleared to play. He's still messed up and hasn't played for almost a year.

It's not surprising that amnesty supporters are Toronto, Montreal, Philadelphia, Vancouver and Rangers fans.
- ubiqty

Amnesty is great for everyone, it would create a lot more free agents and make things more exciting

Wait, how is Carters contract crippling the Kings?
- scootty

I didn't read the blog, but I just did.

The Kings just traded for the guy... If it was a crippling contract they wouldn't have made the trade.

He hasn't been scoring a ton of goals for us, but look, what holds houses together are nails, what holds cars together are bolts, what holds model cars together is glue, etc.

Now I'm not saying Carter is the one person who make our team perform, but just having him out there on the ice makes us a dangerous team by having two top lines, which then allows for the 3rd and 4th lines to be paired up correctly, and his presence alone is worth it.

Amnesty is great for everyone, it would create a lot more free agents and make things more exciting
- jimbro83

Agree. It would create more entertainment for the fans as well. Gives fans more to talk/read about with the chance a big name can potentially be had by their fav team.

....presumably a UFA who might play for very little given he is already making pretty good money.
- Eklund

The fact that he is already making pretty good money will have nothing to do with it. He get what the market demands....like any other UFA.

Rangers ticket prices went up 23% this season and are expected to go up another 10% next season.

The salary cap being lowered is not going to go over too well in evil ole New York.

How do you fix the salary cap? answer - what the player makes is the cap hit.

No more ridiculously front loaded deals over lots of years to smooth out the average value - Kovalchuk, Leino, Pronger, Luongo, Hossa, etc...

For a player to have a cap hit of 6.66 million and collect $11 million in salary is ridiculous and really shows that the cap was a waste of time. Richer owners are still getting the big names because they can comply with the cap and spend 80-90 million. It's no different than it used to be, except for the teams that can't really afford to spend the floor but are forced to.

Just my $.02

I didn't read the blog, but I just did.

The Kings just traded for the guy... If it was a crippling contract they wouldn't have made the trade.

He hasn't been scoring a ton of goals for us, but look, what holds houses together are nails, what holds cars together are bolts, what holds model cars together is glue, etc.

Now I'm not saying Carter is the one person who make our team perform, but just having him out there on the ice makes us a dangerous team by having two top lines, which then allows for the 3rd and 4th lines to be paired up correctly, and his presence alone is worth it.
- StayTunedMTC

"I didn't read the blog, but I just did" please explain?

The NHL has finally started to do so many things right this season, especially working with NBC to have all playoff games aired nationally.

If the NHL does go dark for any amount of time then this sport will once again lose out in a big way.

At the end of the day the fans are the ones that suffer. Players and owners will still be rich while we all get screwed out of watching the sport we love.
- Anjin

I remember hearing Eddie Belfour complaining about money during the last lock out. It is sad to see these rich hockey players not getting a pay check, when 80% of the North American population can not afford to take their families to a NHL game.

I enjoy watching the NHL, but I love taking my kids to the London Knights games. Good hockey, and more affordable.

If there is a lockout I'm going to be vey bored other sports suck... all I'll have left is ... AHL? or does the NHL CBA affect the AHL as well?
- wolfos412

You can always watch the OHL!

He's not going to be cleared to play. He's still messed up and hasn't played for almost a year.

It's not surprising that amnesty supporters are Toronto, Montreal, Philadelphia, Vancouver and Rangers fans.
- ubiqty

Burke has not signed any crippling contracts....so you can take the leafs off of that list.

Eklund: Are Some Big Teams Banking on Amnesty in the New CBA? (+I WAS WRONG)
- Eklund

So its not real amnesty but a way for teams to blow money real irresponsibly and go into the red. Awesome.

Burke has not signed any crippling contracts....so you can take the leafs off of that list.
- acresd

so you wouldnt want the opportunity to buy out Komisarek without a cap hit.

you don't want that

The drawback to the amnesty idea is that these overpaid superstars wont end up going to a traditional non hockey market.

I could very easily see a team like Montreal becoming an
"ALL amnesty" team.

Could you imagine all of a sudden Luongo, Ovechkin, Komiseric, Leino, Carter, (Insert your overpaid star from each team here) all signing with one market for the league min long term while they are paid their full salary by another team?
It almost becomes an overnight dynasty.

(Think kariyaa, selanee colorado multiplied by 1000)

so you wouldnt want the opportunity to buy out Komisarek without a cap hit.

you don't want that
- jimbro83

Only 1 year left on that contract (I think). Burke made that choice, the leafs must live with it. I look at it as accountablility. Live with your decissions. Burke gambled bringing him in, and did not work out. Now they have to either live with it, or trade him.

I didn't read the blog, but I just did.

The Kings just traded for the guy... If it was a crippling contract they wouldn't have made the trade.

He hasn't been scoring a ton of goals for us, but look, what holds houses together are nails, what holds cars together are bolts, what holds model cars together is glue, etc.

Now I'm not saying Carter is the one person who make our team perform, but just having him out there on the ice makes us a dangerous team by having two top lines, which then allows for the 3rd and 4th lines to be paired up correctly, and his presence alone is worth it.
- StayTunedMTC

Your excitement over 2 top lines makes me sad. We have 4 top lines and they are golfing about now.

Amnesty is great for everyone, it would create a lot more free agents and make things more exciting
- jimbro83

But it lessens the accountability placed on your GM and owner. In Philadelphia's case, they can get out from under a ridiculous 10-year contract to Bryz after one year because he didn't live up to his contract? Its a two-way street.

who is to say what players you are and aren't allowed to send to the minors?
- jimbro83

The minors shouldn't be a place to permanently send contracts like Souray, Redden or Leighton giving more flexibility to that organization to use money in a different avenue. You should reap the benefits of players, or suffer with their lack of production. It's a chicken poop way of doing it.

But it lessens the accountability placed on your GM and owner. In Philadelphia's case, they can get out from under a ridiculous 10-year contract to Bryz after one year because he didn't live up to his contract? Its a two-way street.
- Oneonta Penguin

just stop it, everybody comes on hockeybuzz every day because we want to see rumors, signings, possible trades, you have got to be kidding that you don't want things more exciting. Give me a break.

amnesty will happen, especially if the cap is lowered

The minors shouldn't be a place to permanently send contracts like Souray, Redden or Leighton giving more flexibility to that organization to use money in a different avenue. You should reap the benefits of players, or suffer with their lack of production. It's a chicken poop way of doing it.
- Oneonta Penguin

but how do you determine what types of players teams can and can't send down to the minors?

do you make a rule saying the Rangers aren't allowed to send a player to the minors? what's the threshold, 2 million, 3 million? A coach can't threaten a player anymore with being sent down if he isn't performing?

There should not be an amnesty clause put out there for teams to envoke. After all, they were the ones who offered these ridiculous deals. Teams should either find a creative way to trade them or live with them and I'm not talking about sending them on a witness relocation plan to your local AHL affiliate.
- Oneonta Penguin

What the hell? We actually agree on something!

I think Amnesty is a stupid idea as well. Certain (note: not all) GMs have made their bed and they should have to lie in it. The NHLPA will agree to up to 30 full-time guys losing their jobs because of a GM's mistake? That's not fair.

I'd rather see more Campbell to Florida situations. That would create more parity.

How do you fix the salary cap? answer - what the player makes is the cap hit.

No more ridiculously front loaded deals over lots of years to smooth out the average value - Kovalchuk, Leino, Pronger, Luongo, Hossa, etc...

For a player to have a cap hit of 6.66 million and collect $11 million in salary is ridiculous and really shows that the cap was a waste of time. Richer owners are still getting the big names because they can comply with the cap and spend 80-90 million. It's no different than it used to be, except for the teams that can't really afford to spend the floor but are forced to.

Just my $.02
- jbivens1015

So the cap hit for that year would simply equal salary, with it bouncing around each year? That doesn't stop GMs from negotiating numerous contracts to swell and diminish in salary, never going over the cap each year.

"I didn't read the blog, but I just did" please explain?
- Cptmjl

Yes, sir. I jumped straight to the comments section without reading the blog. Upon hearing the name of Jeff Carter and supposed strapping the Kings with a heavy cap burden, I had to chime in.

His cap hit is not bad for a guy with his skillset. The only time it will be bad is years from now, but if the Kings can win a Cup or two or five before his contract is valued negatively, then it was still worth it in the first place.

Capesh?

The drawback to the amnesty idea is that these overpaid superstars wont end up going to a traditional non hockey market.

I could very easily see a team like Montreal becoming an
"ALL amnesty" team.

Could you imagine all of a sudden Luongo, Ovechkin, Komiseric, Leino, Carter, (Insert your overpaid star from each team here) all signing with one market for the league min long term while they are paid their full salary by another team?
It almost becomes an overnight dynasty.

(Think kariyaa, selanee colorado multiplied by 1000)
- B-Wforever

The amnesty rule is a double edged sword, if the receiving team is going to honor the cap hit that opens up the possibility that a poor team signs a Gomez to a $1 contract and uses it to work around the minimum cap ceiling. The opposite is true too if they're not forced to honor the cap hit a team like the Rangers could build a dynasty with formerly overpaid players.

What the hell? We actually agree on something!

I think Amnesty is a stupid idea as well. Certain (note: not all) GMs have made their bed and they should have to lie in it. The NHLPA will agree to up to 30 full-time guys losing their jobs because of a GM's mistake? That's not fair.

I'd rather see more Campbell to Florida situations. That would create more parity.
- Morris

and you wouldn't want to buy out Horcoff without a cap hit, you don't want that.