NHL Offseason 2014

[Morgbug]

Hawks don't have any room to pursue anyone.  At all.  That's before renegotiating Toews and Kane at $12 million per.  Lots of rumors about Sharp on the block. 

Chicago, Boston and a couple of others are really up against it given the cap came in somewhere between 1 and 4 million less than most had planned for.  The FA frenzy is largely done, but I think we'll see some surprising trades with what could be perceived to be poor returns for some established and more expensive players just so some of the teams can make it under the cap. 

Lord knows I hope the Jets can score on a couple of deals like that because the only team we have a shot at finishing ahead of in our division is Nashville.  Given the Preds are signing our castoffs (Olli Jokinen) that doesn't bode well for them.  I'm not convinced Neal isn't the beneficiary of his linemates but this will be the team we find that out on.  I don't think our forwards are worse than theirs, Neal included.  It's really just our goaltending that is completely horrendous. 

The East is wildly overpaying...  It is comical.

Boy are they ever.  I get Winnipeg isn't a destination but I'm also not unhappy we're not throwing around stupid dollars either.  That always comes back to hurt a team. 

I'm especially laughing at the NYI who are so desperate to have not given a lottery ticket to the Sabres.  That may be a little hollow given we may be in position to win the lottery as well. 

[Jesse James]

Snow is a buffoon...  He's single handedly kept that team from a cup IMO.

And I love Orpik and all but the Craps way overpaid him.  Good for him though but he's lost a step.  Niskanen earned his payday tho and Orpik took a cut here at one time so I can't say he hasn't earned something as well.  He also is a big accountability guy and they certainly have issues with tha on their bench.

Jussi Jokinen went from cut and half his salary paid by the Canes, to the Pens for peanuts, to Floriday who'd better hope he can do what he does without Malkin and Neal.

Neal is raw talent...  If someone can feed him, his shot is devastating.  It was a blast to watch that for 3 years. 

I suspect Martin, OCB's first job, lands in MN for an established winger.

Calgary paying England what they did?  Wow.

Same with NYR and Glass who I loved but who was **** on by Bylsma.

I expect the Flyers to make a big trade to make up for Giroux's planned vacation to Uranus.

[P-Siddy]

Don't know what to think about the Rangers' gains and losses... I don't know any of the new people, but losing Boyle, Strahlman and Pouliot is rough.  Beniot was awesome on his line with Zucc, (and it was the most productive line this season) but I guess that's over now.  Boyle was great on face-offs (though pretty tough to do against the Kings) and even though he wasn't a huge scorer, his presence on the ice was noticeable. 

In the business of hockey (not the sport), I think the Rangers are a fraction of the players that are on the team now than when I fell in love with them.  I mean, I was a casual Wild fan while living in Mn, but after seeing the Rangers play, it was like a whole different world of playing... no offense, Jeff.  I still consider them a home team, so I'll root for them no matter what. 

[Morgbug]

I expect the Flyers to make a big trade to make up for Giroux's planned vacation to Uranus.

Did you see Evander Kane's tweet about it?  Priceless trolling. 

[Jesse James]

No but gonna go seek it out now.  Pens fans had a field day on twitter.  I got so many rt's it was insane.  Good meming.

[Rob]

Kane and Towes - 8 years, $10.5 million AAV.

[Jeff]

Is it too soon to fire on general manager?

For Brent:
What does Kevin Cheveldayoff do, exactly?
An analysis of Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s trading tendencies

Glowing analysis of your guy - "the most disconcerting part of Cheveldayoff’s tenure as GM of the Winnipeg Jets is that he has not made one NHL player for NHL player trade" in almost three years. 

[Morgbug]

It's baffling, to say the least. 

Not so much bothered by the lack of trades, but when everyone in the league recognizes your starting goaltender is the worst in the league and nothing is done, it makes question the sanity? 

[Jesse James]

Selfies are dumb, I concur, but I got to tour Consol the other day and this was a real treat for me.



Nobody's allowed in the locker room unless a player, coach, or someone high up in the arena takes you in and escorts you through it (to avoid Bieber-like moments such as happened in Chicago).  I was tickled pink to get to be outside the locker room, and I actually snuck into the hallway the players walk down to enter the ice past Suite 66.  It was tarped off, but I snuck under it anyway.   Didn't attempt the locker room door...  though I was definitely tempted to do so.

So the group I was with, they were all outside the locker room at one point, and then the door flung open and everyone went ape**** hoping for a player to come out...  And there comes like a custodian or electrician with a tool box...  The guy's look on his face was priceless because he was downright scared when all the girls (A solid gaggle of teenage girls) in the tour group started to scream, only to have this poor dude walk out.

The guy bolted too, right down the hall.

[JesseVader08]

I'm late posting this, but that was a great story Jesse.  I'd be totally marking out if I ever made it that close to the Bruins locker room (well, actually making it to Boston would be pretty cool to start with).

[Jesse James]

I still had the deer in headlights look while taking the selfie.   

It was freakishly cool standing there.  I just really felt almost a little emotional, haha.  Sad but true.