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

[lgna69xxx]

Liles is younger, shoots more than Kaberle and only has one yr left on his contract, just enough time for Gardiner and maybe Blacker to develope in the AHL in time for 2012/2013, possibly sometime this coming season, especially Gardiner. Good pick up by Burke, especially since everyone is looking for a pmd and not many available this ufa crop.

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]

...everyone is looking for a pmd and not many available this ufa crop.

Kaberle is available!

Heard how Burke and the Wilson didnt like Kaberle's style / gm, but truth is Liles is worse. Liles is younger but he was avail for a reason... blueline liability.

 

[G1GBallday]

Liles is younger but he was avail for a reason... blueline liability.

The more gullible fans will say it's another piece of the puzzle.

BTW ever notice how for 29 teams the "puzzle" is a 15 piece Barney holding a balloon bouquet one but in Toronto it's a 500,000 all clear sky mind bender? :lol:

 

[lgna69xxx]

Lets see, you re signed guys like Markov who has not played a full season in over 2 years and is one hit away from the end of his career, to almost 6 mil per for 3 years, you will be lucky to get one season of Quality out of him in those 3 years combined, another old and slow dman in hal Gill, rumor going around is hamrlik is coming back, (old and getting older by the day) spacek's best days are behind him,.... Max Pac was the only good signing the habs made so far this offseason. Besides bringing him back you have not addressed the offense that had you not had Price in goal, would of looked ALOT worse than it really is.

Liles is indeed an improvement on Kaberle, simply for the fact he will shoot the puck once every game, unlike kaberle who would go 20 powerplays and not take a shot. He was so frustrating to watch. And in case you cant red ballysday, Liles is there to fill in until Gardiner or Blacker are ready. Stop living in the past, Mtl is a 7-10 team at best this coming season, as are the Leafs, as of today, all that could change by saturday.

The more gullible fans will say it's another piece of the puzzle.

BTW ever notice how for 29 teams the "puzzle" is a 15 piece Barney holding a balloon bouquet one but in Toronto it's a 500,000 all clear sky mind bender? :lol:

 

[lgna69xxx]

He should be a very good fit in Toronto. I was talking to a Av's fan of mine that said Liles plays alot better defense than he gets credit for and plays much better with a big physical shut down dman as his partner... hmmmm Schenn anyone?

Kaberle is available!

Heard how Burke and the Wilson didnt like Kaberle's style / gm, but truth is Liles is worse. Liles is younger but he was avail for a reason... blueline liability.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Congratulation to Doug Gilmour, Ed Belfour, Mark Howe and Joe Nieuwendyk on making it into the Hockey Hall of Fame today.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=370270

 

[G1GBallday]

Lets see, you re signed guys like Markov who has not played a full season in over 2 years and is one hit away from the end of his career, to almost 6 mil per for 3 years, you will be lucky to get one season of Quality out of him in those 3 years combined, another old and slow dman in hal Gill, rumor going around is hamrlik is coming back, (old and getting older by the day) spacek's best days are behind him,.... Max Pac was the only good signing the habs made so far this offseason. Besides bringing him back you have not addressed the offense that had you not had Price in goal, would of looked ALOT worse than it really is.

Coming from the guy whose predictions have all been wrong for three straight years I'm now very reassured for next year. :lol:

Thanks Champ. :thumb:

 

[G1GBallday]

Congrats Doug, at least you had a couple of years with a winner.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Like i said many times before, one thing that is Fact and never needs to be predicted, and never gets old is when a habs fan lives out his present day team thru the PAST, which the majority of habs fans do. A fan who sits back and never wants to let out how he feels about his teams chances in the season ahead is fine, but has no room to criticize others who do, with that said, the Leafs will finish ahead of the lowly habs this season, bank on it! :thumb:


PS, Jagr is still available, and would fit in nicely with this years habs at only 39 yrs old, but wait, he has size, so i guess Mini Bob will pass.

Coming from the guy whose predictions have all been wrong for three straight years I'm now very reassured for next year.

 

[G1GBallday]

the Leafs will finish ahead of the lowly habs this season, bank on it! :thumb:

Jeez Nonsensedamus now you've got me expecting cup number 25. :whoo:

Thanks again Champ. :thumb:

 

[lgna69xxx]

This is why the Rangers will sign Brad Richards (hilarious!) Turn it up!

[video=youtube;NZinBod5Aks]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NZinBod5Aks[/video]

 

[evillethings]

lgna69xxx, that vid seemed to accurately portray Sather's approach to signing UFAs...

About Gainey taking that f-ugly Gomez contract, it was done to attract other UFA's and... oh, fuck it... that deal sucks + Gomez is a little b!tch!

 

[evillethings]

Varlamov agent burns bridge with Capitals

Apparently Varlamov's agent painted a negative picture of the Caps medical staff + their "lack of talent" as a reason Semyon will not want to return to Washington.

So is that a negotiation ploy, an excuse for Semyon's recent injury problems or both? Too bad for Varlamov, the Caps have Neuvirth + Holtby standing by to handle all the goaltending duties in WASH! Goodbye Semyon + have fun in the KHL!

 

[Joe.t]

A buddy of mine at today told me that Stamkos to Toronto is a done deal if he doesn't resign with Tampa, tomorrow will be a interesting day.

 

[lgna69xxx]

As much as i and ANY Leafs fan would love that, it aint happening. Any offer sheet that tampa receives for Stammer will be matched, and he doesnt have to sign by tomorrow. Neither is Brad Richards coming to Toronto.

A buddy of mine at today told me that Stamkos to Toronto is a done deal if he doesn't resign with Tampa, tomorrow will be a interesting day.

 

[gohabsgo]

Habs acquire Eric Cole

a great signing, welcome to Montreal!

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=370600

 

[lgna69xxx]

Not a great signing at all. He is a nice American player, good size, not to old at 32, was a good role player in Carolina, playing with Eric Staal and putting up decent numbers but the last time i checked, nobody on the habs = Eric Staal, and a cap hit of 4.5 million over 4 years for a third liner on a good team does not make for a "great signing". But of course he will likely be on the top line in Montreal lol. Injuries have slowed him down, he is a decent player and for say 2.5-3 million tops, it would of been a "great signing". Alot of teams overpaid for average talent today, minus some big time talent in Wiz and a handful of others. (still cant believe the habs let Wiz go, unreal)

Leino went for crazy $ and has had one good season, ONE! The only player i was hoping the Leafs would have got was Maxime Talbot for penalty killing, or maybe Mike Rupp, something along those lines, so really, not disappointed at all. The Leafs were one of the best teams the second half of the season and a young team just needs to continue to grow and bond and a few tweaks here and there is all we need, which started with JM Liles last week. Remember the name Matt Frattin kiddies.

a great signing, welcome to Montreal

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=370600

 

[Octavian]

Hey mini Doc, can't wait to read your analysis of Burkie's great signing today. 5 million a year for a 13 goal scorer who is always injured. :help: :help: :lol: :lol:

 

[lgna69xxx]

Tim Connolly signs with the Leafs

Free agent centre Tim Connolly has agreed to a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Connolly had 13 goals and 29 assists in 68 games with Buffalo last season.

After missing just one game in his first two NHL seasons with the Islanders, Connolly has played all 82 games just once in the next eight years with Buffalo – in the 2001-02 season.

He has 118 goals and 277 assists in 627 career games.

Actually this deal is a good signing by Brian Burke. Connolly was the best centre available at this time. We all knew Brad Richards was going to the Rangers, and frankly, for the price and term, they can have him. Connolly if not injured is a very nice addition and a 2 yr deal is amazing considering what free agents have signed for since yesterday. He is a play making centre and will make the Leafs better, especially Phil Kessel. But what this deal does is give the kids time to develope, guys like Kadri (if they decide he needs more time in the AHL) Joe Colborne, and Greg McKegg. That istelf is the intangible value of this signing.

So here we are on July 2. Lets look at a couple things regarding Toronto. The last half of the season saw the Leafs playing like Burke had intended since he got here, and based on those last 40 games, would of been a playoff team for a full season. With that said, the Leafs did not have a PP Quarterback nor a top PMD. Now, they have filled that hole with one player, John-Michael Liles. Also Tim Connolly is a big improvement over Tyler Bozak as the teams top line centre. Bozak, btw will make a very good 3rd liner in between Armstrong and either Kadri or Frattin. Overall, the contending Leafs of the 2nd half of last season are a much better team with Reimer signed, Liles to fill the hole that was there and Connolly a huge upgrade over Bozak. Now we need a pk'er and maybe another top 6 (only if Clarke MacArthur does not re sign) and lets get started Oct 6th!

Bottom line, a contending team last year, with playoffs easily had they played the first 40 the way they played the last 40, (growing pains with a team this young) the kids are learning and grew together in that playoff run, which only makes them better going forward, and adding in the above players, along with 2 improvements behind the bench, this team is a playoff team for sure, but still a player, possibly 2 away from contending. Good Job Mr. Bukre. :thumb:

 

[lgna69xxx]

Here ya go mini cairo, or do you prefer mini ghg?? (btw, flattering being compared to the great Doc, Merci!) lol.... My analysis is above. With that said, speaking of getting hurt, do you mean like that has been on your blue line, named markov? or should i say Andrei "one hit away from the end of his career" Markov? better? Just like with the habs, the Leafs are not effected by the cap hit should a player be injured, duh.

As far as the Connolly signing overall, it is a much safer signing than Cole to the habs for FOUR YEARS at soon to be 33 yrs of age for almost the same money as a younger Tim C. (btw, last i checked, you have NO ONE compared to Eric Staal for Cole to play alongside) Also, Cole has not always been the picture boy of health either. Both signings are a risk, but length of contract and with what the Leafs needs are, id rather have Connolly any day over another bad term contract that mini bob just keeps dealing out to ofton injured players for ridiculous $ for their age.

Hey mini Doc, can't wait to read your analysis of Burkie's great signing today. 5 million a year for a 13 goal scorer who is always injured. :help: :help: :lol: :lol: