2011 NHL Offseason Thread (Draft, Trades, Free Agent Signings, etc...)

[JH Fan]

Thats why the habs will never win another cup, the game has changed and they are stuck in the old days still.

First you need to make the playoffs before ! which is what Leafs aren't doing because they're stuck with the old thinking that money can buy everything !

Second "best players" my rear end !... look at Ovechkin, the Sedin's, Crosby, etc...

The best player that won the Stanley cup this year is non other than Tim Thomas whom the Bruins didn't even think he was good enough last year or shall we say too expensive ?

 

[lgna69xxx]

First you need to make the playoffs before ! which is what Leafs aren't doing because they're stuck with the old thinking that money can buy everything !

Buy everything? you might wanna check out the Maple Leafs farm system, btw ranked #9 (likely to improve more after this weekends draft) while the habs are ranked # 20 (likely to get worse after this weekend with only ONE PICK in the first 75 picks)

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/nhl_organisation_rankings/

The best player that won the Stanley cup this year is non other than Tim Thomas whom the Bruins didn't even think he was good enough last year or shall we say too expensive ?

Totally agree with you on that :thumb:

 

[JH Fan]

Well I might as well say it... I wish you and your Leafs a good 2011-2012 season and playoffs and somehow it would be good for this sport if they win the cup.

Imagine how good this would be to bring back some hockey fans into the game who didn't believe in their team anymore after all these years and suddenly became interested in the game.

Ya know ! like for the Hawks last year and the Bruins this year !

I mean you have to admire how Boston went to their Stanley cup parade as if they'd won WWII all over

I just hope TO doesn't loose in the finals though ! what a Riot is would be :eyebrows:

 

[lgna69xxx]

I agree, and trust me, there is NOTHING i want more than the Leafs to win the Cup but what would come a close 2nd would be a Montreal/Toronto semifinal to determine who goes to the Cup finals. So good luck to your team as well in 2011/2012 :thumb:

Well I might as well say it... I wish you and your Leafs a good 2011-2012 season and playoffs and somehow it would be good for this sport if they win the cup.

Imagine how good this would be to bring back some hockey fans into the game who didn't believe in their team anymore after all these years and suddenly became interested in the game.

 

[joelcairo]

NHL Awards

As expected, the great Nick Lidstrom won his SEVENTH (!!!!!) Norris Trophy, meaning that he is now tied with Doug Harvey and only one behind Bobby Orr.

Amazing player - 41 years old and still by far the best D-man in the NHL!

Meanwhile, the only reason Pavel Datsyuk didn't win the Selke, which he has OWNED for the past few years, is that he missed a third of the season. In spite of that, he was one of the finalists! Another GREAT Red Wing!

And then there's Stevie Yzerman (TBay), who was a finalist for GM of the year...in his FIRST season as a GM! No surprise at all, after all those years he spent with the best organization in hockey, the best ownership in hockey, the best mangement team in hockey, the best GM in hockey, etc., etc., etc.

Meanwhile, let's all shed a tear for the hopeless and hapless Maple Leafs, who - as usual - couldn't garner even a SINGLE (!!!) nomination in ANY category! What a pathetic bunch of losers - if they and their fans were not such absolute jerks, you might almost feel sorry for them.

 

[Merlot]

More Bruins Accolades.

Thomas, Chara both winners at NHL Awards

http://www.hockeyjournal.com/news/2011/06/22_thomas,_chara_both_winners.php

For Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, the list of accolades just keeps on growing.

In what was essentially a formality, the 37-year-old netminder was named the winner of the Vezina Trophy on Wednesday night at the 2011 NHL Awards in Las Vegas, as he beat out fellow nominees Roberto Luongo and Pekka Rinne.

Thomas appeared to be a shoe-in for the honor by the midway point of the season, putting up superhuman numbers over the course of his bounce-back campaign. As the year wore on, many had the likes of Nashville's Rinne and even Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers usurping Thomas for the trophy.

However, after a slightly rocky month of February, Thomas all but locked up the award with his stellar play down the stretch. After defeating the Senators 3-1 in the penultimate game of the year and locking down the record for the best save percentage in a single season in NHL history, there was simply no way anyone was going to keep him from being named as the best goaltender in the league for the second time in three years.

Chara takes home Messier Leadership Award

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara also hoped to make it two out of three like his teammate Thomas, as Boston's blueliner was up for the Norris Trophy.

Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be as Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom took the honor for the seventh time in his illustrious career, with the Predators' Shea Weber finishing just behind him in second and Chara not too far back in third.

But, Chara's voyage to Vegas wasn't all for not. The 6-foot-9 defenseman was named the winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award, an honor that recognizes an individual as a superior leader within their sport, and as a contributing member of society.

With Messier -- who handpicks the winner -- by his side, Chara was overwhelmed and completely humbled by being selected.

“It is an honor, and I am overwhelmed to be receiving this award, especially from someone like Mark [Messier]," Chara said. "Leadership is ultimatelyabout creating a way for people to contribute to achieve something extraordinary. For us as athletes and hockey players, the ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup.

"I have been really privileged and lucky to be on the team that won the Stanley Cup. And I want to thank all of the guys for their help and letting me do my role. Obviously I want to thank our ownership, Mr. Jeremy and Charlie Jacobs, our President Cam Neely, our General Manager Peter Chiarelli, head coach Claude Julien, and all of the members of the coaching staff, our medical staff and our training staff."

Chara's immense gratitude didn't end there, as the defenseman had plenty of people behind the scenes to thank as well.

"I also want to extend a special thanks to our team psychologists Max Offenberger and Frank Lodato," said Chara. "Their work over the last five years has been instrumental in helping me become the leader that I am. Lastly, I also want to thank my wife, Tatiana and my daughter Elliz for their sacrifices and always being there to support me.”

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[JH Fan]

Chara takes home Messier Leadership Award

...as the defenseman had plenty of people behind the scenes to thank as well.

"I also want to extend a special thanks to our team psychologists..." said Chara. "Their work over the last five years has been instrumental in helping me become the leader that I am...”[/I]

Cheers,
Merlot

Instrumental ! into making this guy a raging violent childish ass*ole who should be banned for all the vicious play he got himself into.

I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up playing for the Flyers at the end of his career like Lindros did.

Thomas should have got this award as well.

He's the real leader for the Bruins in the Playoffs !
Without him there would not be a 6th Stanley cup for the Bruins !

 

[gohabsgo]

another excellent signing!

CANADIENS RE-SIGN MARKOV TO THREE-YEAR, $17.25 MILLION CONTRACT
MONTREAL -- Andrei Markov started his career with the Montreal Canadiens, and it looks like he may end it with them too.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=369816

 

[Special K]

CANADIENS RE-SIGN MARKOV TO THREE-YEAR, $17.25 MILLION CONTRACT
MONTREAL -- Andrei Markov started his career with the Montreal Canadiens, and it looks like he may end it with them too.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=369816

An excellent signing for the rest of the league you mean GHG! Guys played 20 games in the past 2 seasons and now the Habs have wasted another 17M on him for 3 more years. Awesome!

 

[JH Fan]

An excellent signing for the rest of the league you mean GHG! Guys played 20 games in the past 2 seasons and now the Habs have wasted another 17M on him for 3 more years. Awesome!

If he really get back and play like before ok but at that rate it's a 56K for each game... which is way too much for my taste.

So I'm going with SK on this one !

 

[Merlot]

Where's Iggy???

Hello Hockey Fans

Instrumental ! into making this guy a raging violent childish ass*ole who should be banned for all the vicious play he got himself into.

I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up playing for the Flyers at the end of his career like Lindros did.

Thomas should have got this award as well.

He's the real leader for the Bruins in the Playoffs !
Without him there would not be a 6th Stanley cup for the Bruins !

One of the great bonuses of being a fan of the current STANLEY CUP CHAMPION BRUINS is all the other teams fans sour grapes whining. Thanks JHF for such a beautiful and welcome display. :thumb: You ROCK!

So...WHERE'S IGGY!!!

As the originator of this thread, and having obsessed about the importance of this draft as well as the "genius" of Burke to use it to get Toronto to the playoffs and a championship...like the Bruins...I am shocked Iggy has not commented on the NHL draft so far.

The first comments on Burke's picks are not comforting:

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2011/6/25/2243441/nhl-draft-2011-results-day-one

The Toronto Maple Leafs had three picks within 15 spots of each other heading into this year's draft, numbers 25, 30, and 39, and parlayed the 30th and 39th overall picks with Anaheim to move themselves to the 22nd overall pick where they selected Tyler Biggs from the USNTDP. Our Maple Leafs site, Pension Plan Puppets, wasn't overly enthused with the selection:

Biggs is, as "they" love to say, a "Brian Burke-type player". He is a 6'2" right winger that tips the scales at 200 pounds and was compared to Colby Armstrong. I'm not a big prospects guy but even where every player gets outlandish comparisons he was compared to a tweener 2nd/3rd liner.

Meanwhile the Bruins seem to have made some promising picks:


2011 NHL Draft: Dougie Hamilton to Boston Bruins Biggest Winner of Round One?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-to-boston-bruins-biggest-winner-of-round-one

Dougie Hamilton was a top six pick in many mock drafts that he was available at number nine for the Boston Bruins can be seen as a big win for the Stanley Cup Champions.

Bleacher Report's Tom Urtz Jr:

Dougie Hamilton is a sizable two-way defender who has a booming shot and good hands. That sound like another defenseman on the Bruins, doesn't it?

Adding him to the Boston Bruins makes them an impressive defensive team.He joins a team already stacked with players like Zdeno Chara.

http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2011/6/24/2242915/dougie-hamilton-bruins-2011-nhl-draft

Dougie Hamilton is a great pick at #9, especially for the Bruins who are able to take their time and let him develop into an impact defencemen while still competing for a Stanley Cup. Hamilton, 18, is a native of St. Catharines, Ontario and while he is measured at 6 feet, 4 inches tall, he only weighs in at 187 pounds. Therefore, there is a lot of room from him to grow as both a hockey player and a physical being. TSN's draft coverage compared him to Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks and that seems to be a very good comparison because they are of similar size and both posted numbers in the OHL.

Bruins Take Russian Center Alexander Khokhlachev at Pick No. 40 of NHL Draft

http://www.nesn.com/2011/06/bruins-...r-khokhlachev-at-pick-no-40-of-nhl-draft.html

The Bruins added to their collection of gifted centers on Saturday, taking 17-year-old Alexander Khokhlachev with pick No. 40 in round two of the NHL draft.

Khokhlachev, a native of Moscow, played the 2010-11 season with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. In 67 games the young Russian tallied 34 goals and 42 assists for a total of 76 points, making him the third-highest rookie scorer in the OHL. Additionally in 18 playoff contests Khokhlachev added nine goals and 11 assists, making him the sixth-highest scorer of the postseason.

As a result of his strong playoff performances, Khokhlachev jumped up the NHL Central Scouting rankings, moving from No. 45 on the midterm rankings up to No. 29 on the final ranking of North American skaters.

The 5-foot-10, 188-pound lefty still has room to add weight to his frame, but as NHL Central Scouting's Chris Edwards notes, that doesn't mean Khokhlachev can't play physical.

"He'll take a hit to make a play and he's not at all afraid," Edwards said. "I've seen him get hit hard a few times and he just bounces right back into the play. His energy level is always there, and he's always working hard. Down the stretch for Windsor, he's played well. He's a skilled forward."

A great big THANKS to the Maple Leafs and especially Burke for the 9th pick and the opportunity to draft Dougie Hamliton.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[JH Fan]

Hello Hockey Fans

One of the great bonuses of being a fan of the current STANLEY CUP CHAMPION BRUINS is all the other teams fans sour grapes whining. Thanks JHF for such a beautiful and welcome display. :thumb: You ROCK!

Cheers,

Merlot

Merlot, Merlot, Merlot !
You're giving way too much importance to this Stanley cup and it is affecting your judgement since !

As I said many times before, I'm happy Bruins won it. Yes I am, because they deserved it (specially Thomas); since my view of the playoffs is totally different from the regular season in which some of the so-call 'real hockey fans' out here put way too much importance (same as for drafting).

And also because it has been a long, long time (temped to use f*king long time) and because this is good for Hockey just like it was for the Hawks.

That doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Chara is a real ass*ole with a long past of rage and violence (like Lindros) and the fact that you think only Bruins fans were never involved in any riot.

Something I've proved you wrong !

So get a life man ! cuze you're still in Wonderland !
Or... since you're still in Wonderland... get yourself a nice SP !

 

[lgna69xxx]

Kinda creepy that you missed me Merlot. (then again, considering the source) Possibly i have been busy with the draft maybe? or with life in general? Speaking of the draft, i was very pleased with the first 2 picks by the Leafs, Tyler Biggs and Stuart Percy. Percy is a defenseman with alot of upside and a hometown boy, while first round pick, Biggs, is a 6'2 205lb 18 yeard old (still growing) who many in the hockey world have compared to Milan Lucic. If he is only 50% like Lucic one day, it is a streal of a pick for Burke and company. Btw, you can post your propoganda all you like, but you might wanna check again and you will see thousands of posts in several hockey boards, articles, etc that Biggs was indeed a great pick at #22. Anyways this draft will produce few NHL'ers next year, a few more the following year and a few more after that, good draft, not the best ever but certainly not the worst either. And merlot, the next time you miss me, cash is always best, not public stalking. :thumb: (at least you didnt blow up my pm box like usual)

 

[Merlot]

Hello JHF,

Merlot, Merlot, Merlot !
You're giving way too much importance to this Stanley cup and it is affecting your judgement since !

That doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Chara is a real ass*ole with a long past of rage and violence (like Lindros) and the fact that you think only Bruins fans were never involved in any riot.

This is one of the funniest things I've ever read on Merb in it's history. YOU, a Canadiens fan, telling the world that I am "giving way too much importance to this Stanley Cup." :lol: Montreallers not only have endless Canadiens stuff displayed in their shops, wear the Canadiens gear year round, and zip through traffic with their Canadiens flags regularly while shouting and singing Ole Ole Ole, but they riot (thugs of course...huh) for first round single game wins that don't decide the round. ALL Canadiens fans would kill for a Stanley Cup and go apoplectic after their now 18 year drought. I shudder to think what regular fans (not just the thugs) will do the next time Montreal wins...if. :amen:

Regarding severe career altering hits, I didn't see you or any Canadiens fans calling for the government to arrest Matt Cooke for his brutality on Marc Savard whose career may be over because of it. Oh, that's right. Savard isn't a Canadien.

BTW...I never said Bruins fans have never rioted. I said it didn't happen this year. Now where is your proof they did riot???

since my view of the playoffs is totally different from the regular season in which some of the so-call 'real hockey fans' out here put way too much importance (same as for drafting).

Yup, still no word from Iggy who wanted to drop playoffs talk before the finals to talk about the draft. We may infer from his total absence that the Leafs did poorly.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[lgna69xxx]

Ok, let the editing begin!

Hello JHF,

This is one of the funniest things I've ever read on Merb in it's history. YOU, a Canadiens fan, telling the world that I am "giving way too much importance to this Stanley Cup." :lol: Montreallers not only have endless Canadiens stuff displayed in their shops, wear the Canadiens gear year round, and zip through traffic with their Canadiens flags regularly while shouting and singing Ole Ole Ole, but they riot (thugs of course...huh) for first round single game wins that don't decide the round. ALL Canadiens fans would kill for a Stanley Cup and go apoplectic after their now 18 year drought. I shudder to think what regular fans (not just the thugs) will do the next time Montreal wins...if. :amen:

Regarding severe career altering hits, I didn't see you or any Canadiens fans calling for the government to arrest Matt Cooke for his brutality on Marc Savard whose career may be over because of it. Oh, that's right. Savard isn't a Canadien.

BTW...I never said Bruins fans have never rioted. I said it didn't happen this year. Now wear is your proof they did riot???

Yup, still no word from Iggy who wanted to drop playoffs talk before the finals to talk about the draft. We may infer from his total absence that the Leafs did poorly.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[lgna69xxx]

You might wanna look above your post (i copied it in case you decide to delete and rewrite after this one) ... and for the record, i think the Leafs made 2 great choices with their first 2 picks and the rest, time will tell, there is not alot about the other players they drafted just yet.

Lots going on last week and little time to report but Philly really shook up their core by trading Richards and Carter. Overall they are a weaker team at the moment but the future sure looks bright with adding the nhl players and prospects they did, especially Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, (with the pic they got from the Blue Jackets)

Leafs got alot better and filled a void on their powerplay by trading for John-Michael Liles, for essentially nothing. (The pick they sent for Liles was aquired by boston making the finals from the Kaberle deal, thanks again for Liles boston!)

Yup, still no word from Iggy who wanted to drop playoffs talk before the finals to talk about the draft. We may infer from his total absence that the Leafs did poorly.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[JH Fan]

Hello JHF,

This is one of the funniest things I've ever read on Merb in it's history. YOU, a Canadiens fan, telling the world that I am "giving way too much importance to this Stanley Cup...." :lol: Montreallers not only have endless Canadiens stuff displayed in their shops, wear the Canadiens gear year round, and zip through traffic with their Canadiens flags regularly while shouting and singing Ole Ole Ole, but they riot (thugs of course...huh) for first round single game wins that don't decide the round. ALL Canadiens fans would kill for a Stanley Cup and go apoplectic after their now 18 year drought. I shudder to think what regular fans (not just the thugs) will do the next time Montreal wins...if. :amen:

Regarding severe career altering hits, I didn't see you or any Canadiens fans calling for the government to arrest Matt Cooke for his brutality on Marc Savard whose career may be over because of it. Oh, that's right. Savard isn't a Canadien.

BTW...I never said Bruins fans have never rioted. I said it didn't happen this year. Now where is your proof they did riot???



Yup, still no word from Iggy who wanted to drop playoffs talk before the finals to talk about the draft. We may infer from his total absence that the Leafs did poorly.

Cheers,

Merlot

As in so many cases before you just didn't read properly and your arguments to reply aren't getting any better.

... you're still talking about the cup in reply about my post on Chara. As for Savard vs Cook it's the same sh*t, Cook should have been suspended for the entire year in my opinion and it doesn't make a difference about Chara.

As for Canadian fans killing for a cup you must be high 'pas a peu pres'.

WE in Mtrl ARE 1st and foremost HOCKEY FANS. Cup or no Cup. We don't even need them anymore to eat, sleep and drink Hockey all year round. Our team won so many times that winning one more time (4 times more than Bruins) will just be another statistic for which NO OTHER NHL TEAM will ever get to beat.

On rioting ?

Well, well well... Your argument has changed to 'you never said Bruins fan never rioted'... ?

Next time you see rioting why don't you take a simple media 101 course where they'll explain to you that Riots will occur when the event is highly likely to bring a lot of 'social media' attention.

This time it was to be Vancouver instead of Boston but it was going to happen in any of the two cities and that's what I predicted correctly.

Riots come second only to wars or large scale disaster in mass media coverage specially since Twitter, Wikileaks, Facebook, has changed the way news are covered, etc.

So have fun now that you know that Bruins Fan really did Riot before in the past

Cheers !

 

[evillethings]

... Leafs got alot better and filled a void on their powerplay by trading for John-Michael Liles, for essentially nothing...

Weird that Leafs "replaced" Kaberle with a guy like Liles. Seems like reinventing the same problem... a good offensive Dman who needs a complimentary partner to make him click and one that lacks toughness especially deep in his own end.

 

[evillethings]

Carter got short changed by the Flyers! Not sure where ppl get the idea Carter + Nash suddenly make CBJ dangerous. Still only 2/3 of a line and opposing teams can shut that down quickly. Poor Jeff.

 

[evillethings]

Also... eager to see if Winnipeg can attract any UFA talent starting July 1st. Winnipeg might be the talk of the NHL but the city is still the armpit of Canada. Maybe they'll pull some stupid move and send an offer sheet to Stamkos if Yzerman can't get him signed by 07/01!