NHL 2007 - 2008

[JangoTat]

I just hope Sundin goes to Montreal.

And who is this Jeff Finger guy that the leafs got? I have never heard of him before in my life yet for some reason the leafs find it appropriate to give him a 4 year deal It is kinda wierd to see Cujo back though. I used to love him as a goalie when he played for the leafs before but I have my doubts in him now.

[Ryan]

Finger was a rookie on the Avs this past year. I liked him and I kind of wish the Avs would have kept him a bit longer. He was a decent player and was a great agitator/scrapper.

[Jesse James]

So the Pens went immediately to pick up a couple potential high scorers...  I thought at the time of free agency about a number of people that could fill Hossa's shoes because nobody expected him to get offered the deal I guess the Penguins offered him.  Most of us here, including the sports writers in town, all wrote him off as a rental for last season and nothing more.

Anyway, he's gone so I knew the Penguins would be looking at names, and low and behold Satan came up and that was one of my picks.  People ragged on him because of his production, but for the love of god look where he played!  People ragged on Malone for production too as he was here in the really **** years it took for us to get Crosby/Malkin...  Then look, he blossomed.  I think Satan has the potential to fill the net if he's paired with someone actually decent at center, and so I was thinking he was a good choice.  Feditenko is a much bigger pick up IMO though and a lot of people think he'll basically give us that gritty forward we lost in Malone and I'm happy about that.

And to top it off Fleury signed for a pretty low salary if he plays to the level he did last year...  If he's that good or better in 5 years, it'll seem almost offensive to pay him that little.  That guy just earned a ton of respect in my book, as did Orpik and really Malkin too, who didn't take what he probably would've easily gotten in another city desperate for an anchor player.

To me, a lot of talk is going to Hossa, but the Penguins I think have done quite well without him.  Nobody expected Orpik back and so I was ecstatic over that.  it'd be nice to see them try to acquire a couple slightly inexpensive role players, but at this point in the game the Pens just need to sign Jordan Staal who is one of the greatest up and coming players in the league IMO, and he's the last of the "down the middle" anchors I think.

Beyond that it's all gravy at this point to me...  It seemed like it may go bad early as Robers left, and Hossa, and Malone, and then Laraque who is underrated IMO...  But man, we came out smelling good today I think, and if we get Staal then everything I wanted done was accomplished and then it's just hole filling time and with a lot of FA's still on the market.  The Satan thing is a bit of a gamble, but I honestly think you can't beat a guy down too much due to where he played.  The NYI are a joke as a team and had nothing going for them really.  So I'm hopeful Satan can blossom with an actually decent line around him.  That would just be perfect.

A LOT of folks in Pitt are pissed about Hossa though...  And rightly so.  he was sort of a dick about the way he handled things, and I guess the reporters here are saying that was 100% his manager...    I don't doubt that at all, but man you should try to leave on good terms I think.  That's why guys like Jagr are such tainted goods to a lot of teams.

[Jeff]

Owen Nolan?  Hmmm...  I guess they thought we needed someone to fill the role of "wily veteran" now that Rolston is gone.  Should be interesting to see how much he has left in the tank at this point...

And Blackhawks Vs. Red Wings at Wrigley?  I may just try to make the drive to Chicago to see that... 

[jjks]

Radulov bolts for Russia! Words fail for how pissed I am right now, he's still under contract with us! I was already worried about this season, and now we lose one of our most promising wingers. What a waste of a 1st rounder.

[Jesse James]

I'm annoyed with the whole Russia/Euro league thing too...  It's something the NHLPA's supporting because it's mo money for everyone there, and basically they've been playing dirty to try and get anyone (even under contract) to bolt for their league(s) with tax free cash (again, playing dirty because that's horse **** on a geopolitical level).

I'd think going to a ****hole country to play hockey would be worse than making a little less and staying in the U.S. where life is decent.  I guess to some guys they figure they'll play a while and probably get the hell out of dodge when they're done.

I was shocked Straka took a deal because he's still a solid player...  Jagr makes sense because, as he showed in the playoffs, his best years are long gone now.  Your guy is young Jamie, so that's double shocking to me that he up and left like that.  Sad for the NHL too and hockey in general because those leagues really don't mean **** ultimately.

[Morgbug]

Jesse, I'm not sure if you're making millions of dollars you really perceive any of the ****hole country aspect there any more than you worry about the homeless in US.  I'd agree the standard of living in the US is generally higher, but there are class differences overseas as well and these guys will be living like kings for all intents and purposes.  These are athletes after all, not really known or encouraged to be deep thinkers or altruistic for the most part.  And maybe they can do more for their families over there than they can do here, or just see them more. 

It sucks, but the NHL really doesn't have that much prestige going for it I'm inclined to think.  What it had was money, but it seems that can be matched.  How long that league will last remains to be seen. 

[Jesse James]

Really though, Kazahkstan?  I know Borat's not an accurate representation of the place, but who in their right mind would want to play there over the U.S./Canada in the NHL?

The money makes all the difference in the world I guess but I'd still think living in a country in N. America with massive wealth would just be more appealing to a young man with loads of cash.  Not to sound like a "pompous American" or anything...  I'd just think you could be stuck in places that make Columbus or St. Louis suddenly look like Disney World by comparison.

The family thing, I could see being an influence mentally though, but it seems a lot of these guys may not be playing near their home country anyway.

It's definately going to hurt the NHL in the long run...  I guess, being poor, I just look at how good even the middle or lower-middle class have it here and think if I had the chance to play for more there or less (but still a ****load) here, I'd stay here.  Jagr always had a boner for the Czech Republic as his home though, so maybe that is/was all the incentive a guy like him really needed to be closer to his home. 

I'd think with their cash though it'd be easier to transplant family to where you are...  People with a lot less seem to accomplish it.  I dunno.

I noticed too though that a lot of these guys are being offered part ownership stuff, and other incentives like that as well.  That can't be hurting their decisions either.