Well, he did write (via a ghost writer) the book 12 years ago. By the way, how does he have proprietary interest in the team financially? He's no longer one of the partners on the team.
2015/2016 Official NHL thread
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Well, he did write (via a ghost writer) the book 12 years ago. By the way, how does he have proprietary interest in the team financially? He's no longer one of the partners on the team.
No, his 'cap hit' doesn't come off the books if he's injured long term or has to retire. Like many players in the past such as Chris Pronger, Nathan Horton, Marc Savard and others, his cap number would remain in the books until the end of the contract. And if the clot problem forces him to retire prematurely, the cap amount would still count (see Pavel Datsyuk).
Espo spends a significant part of the end of the book describing his efforts to start and develop the franchise which included putting his own money up as part of the investment. Espo claims in the book that he had some investment in the team which was supposed to be repaid which wasn't repaid. I think his continued affiliation with the team is part of some deal they worked out to soothe Espo's hurt feelings when he got stiffed on his initial investment. I don't recall all of the particulars but you have to read the book. In a nutshell he had and has both emotional and financial capital with that team.
I did read the book. When it came out 12 years ago.
So basically, what you're saying is that he feels he got screwed by Tampa's former owners, so now he's expected to coax Stamkos into remaining with the organization??
He may feel he's owed money from past franchise sales, but he currently no longer has any ownership stake in the team. The team was sold 3-4 times since Esposito became one of the original partners. Most people who follow hockey have forgot or don't even know he was one of the original partners in the team until he was forced out.
I am pretty sure that since the time when all of those hurt feelings were poured out in his book by Esposito, someone with the TB ownership group reached out to him with a deal that soothed and assuaged his hurt feelings. I don't really have the impression that Espo has nothing better to do than be a TB broadcaster. I believe the owners wanted him around the team in some way and did what was necessary to kiss and make up even if Espo didn't get all of his money back which he complained about in his book. The owners probably figure this guy is a HOF player and a winner of Stanley Cups and other prestigious titles like the Summit Series, and he could be a good influence on guys like Stamkos. They brought in Yzerman for the exact same reasons. So the deal is for Espo's feelings being made to feel better he now needs to give back what he claims in his book he has been giving for the past 27 years: undivided loyalty to the Bolts. That's why I think he will be used to keep Stamkos in town.
You are correct but he is 26 years old, worth the risk for the potential HUGE reward. I read he will be able to temper the blood clots by taking blood thinners. The pros far outweigh the cons concerning any team that signs Stamkos. Go get him Lou Lam!
As far as blood clots go the same situation is going on with Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat but it's become much more serious and career threatening. The Heat were without Bosh for the playoffs and they likely would have beaten the Toronto Raptors with Bosh. The Heat actually looked pretty good in the playoffs without Bosh, who is their best big man. But his blood clots have become a major problem. Sometimes it's not so simple as "give him blood thinners and he will be good to go." Flying and DVTs are a huge problem for people with this condition and I have had several legal cases involving persons with the condition. With one of them, the whole family has a blood clotting problem and one of them died after flying from a clot, so all the others are now afraid to fly. There is no magic wand - blood thinners do help but by no means is Stamkos good to go and "out of the woods" forever as long as he takes his meds. It just isn't that simple. Ask Chris Bosh.
I read an article recently about Stammer and Bosh pertaining to blood clots with the big difference being bosh's body type aka size being more of a problem for him versus Stammers. Stamkos will likely be fine for several years out of his 7 year contract he will sign on or around July 1 if he makes it to free agency or the 8 years Tampa will sign him for with the use of blood thinners. Stammer is also 6 years younger than Bosh. A signing risk? Sure, but you can't live your life always fearing the worst or you are all but dead already.
Espo isn't even employed by the team. He's employed by the radio station who broadcasts their games. He probably could have got a job in half the NHL cities, but working in Tampa is convenient for him since he has a home in the area. He had the home first and later got the radio job since he couldn't get an executive job anywhere else in the league. So he's stuck doing radio since he can't even do tv. By the way, the current ownership group doesn't give a fuck about Phil Esposito. They don't owe him anything and nor should they since the team had various owners over the decades prior to the current group purchasing the team. Just saying.
He cannot play in the league if he's on blood thinners. It's obvious why, since he could bleed to death were he to suffer a life-threatening laceration or even a concussion (which happens way too often in hockey today) during a game. The NHL has regulations which strongly prohibits any player from playing hockey while on blood thinners. That's the main reason why Pascal Dupuis was forced to retire earlier this season. Blood thinner therapy had become part of his daily life in order to stay healthy and prevent future clots from occurring.
But Stamkos' situation is different. It was caused by the blocking of an artery near his clavicle, which likely had been present for years. A doctor i spoke with suspects it possibly could have been caused from years of extending his arm while practicing slapshots, which puts a lot of stress on the affected shoulder. It's very similar to MLB pitchers who've had to either be operated on for similar issues.
Stamkos' surgery involved permanently removing one of his ribs in order to avoid the problem in the future. Usually in such a circumstance, he has to be on blood thinners for at least 3 months. Many doctors suspect he'll never have to go back on blood thinners since they believe the initial problem was resolved through the surgery. But he would possibly have to re-adjust his slapshot technique (due to the now missing rib) and a doctor i spoke with added that his devastating slapshot could now be even harder than it ever was.
But there is still a risk. Is it worth the risk? It depends who you speak with, and how potential suitors would feel about it. Personally, i did a lot of research on his problem and i'd go ahead and sign him if that's where he wants to play. Yes, it would be worth the risk. But that's me speaking.
I agree. But the math doesn't add up with him re-signing in Tampa for various reasons i've already mentioned. Heck, to be totally honest, i'd much prefer having Victor Hedman and possibly even Nikita Kucherov with the Leafs than Stamkos. And if the Leafs can figure out a way to land Big Ben Bishop and re-sign him, i'd be all for it. Who knows, maybe the Leafs could be tempted into making a trade with Tampa for his rights prior to July 1st and Tampa would have to agree to send them Ben Bishop (or Vasilevsky) in that trade were the Leafs to give them something of value. If the asking price is too much, just wait until July 1st and then sign Stamkos.
And finally, i'd be more concerned about Stamkos' ablity to remain healthy overall. Every year it seems to be one thing after another.
2016 NHL mock draft: Early look at Round 1
by Kyle Woodlief, USA TODAY Sports
1. Toronto — Auston Matthews. Leafs kick-start their rebuild with a franchise center-in-waiting who got valuable pro experience in Switzerland with Zurich.
2. Winnipeg — Patrik Laine. The Jets are the first winners of “Draft Lotto Jackpot” and move up four spots under the new rules to snag this beast of a winger. The NHL needs finishers and Laine could be a future Rocket Richard Trophy winner.
3. Columbus — Jesse Puljujärvi. The Blue Jackets consider taking Matthew Tkachuk here, but in the end, Puljujarvi’s size and ability make him the best player available for Jarmo Kekalainen and Co.
4. Edmonton — Matthew Tkachuk. The Oilers continue to stockpile talent. Keith’s kid will do some major damage with Connor McDavid and it won’t take long. Below the dots, there aren’t any bigger threats in this class than this power winger.
5. Vancouver — Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Canucks have a lot of holes, but this is one decision general manager Jim Benning won’t have trouble making, adding a skilled, versatile and very smart player who can play in the middle or on the wing.
6. Calgary — Tyson Jost. He was dominant at the U-18 tourney and zooms up the board to become another top forward for the Flames. He did a nice job of setting aside any concerns about his British Columbia Hockey League pedigree with that showing in Grand Forks.
7. Arizona — Olli Juolevi. First defenseman off the boards is what the Desert Dogs need, and he boosted his stock at the Memorial Cup by giving scouts an extended look at his skating and hockey sense.
8. Buffalo — Alex Nylander. Buffalo gets a skilled offensive complement to Jack Eichel and an interesting sibling rivalry in the Atlantic Division is born.
9. Montreal — Jake Bean. He could have gone as early as No. 6 to his hometown Flames but the Canadiens get superb value here with Red Line Report's top-rated D. No defenseman in this draft is a more dangerous scoring threat from the back-end than he is.
10. Colorado — Mikhail Sergachev. Avalanche get arguably the best blueliner out of the Ontario Hockey League — and possibly the entire draft — and smile. The “Russian Factor” won’t be an issue here.
11. New Jersey — Jakob Chychrun. His stock may be down, but fans hoping he’ll continue his slide are disappointed as the Devils snap him up. Even with some of the concerns about a down season, Chychrun still represents impressive value.
12. Ottawa — Logan Brown. Six-foot-six skilled centers who can skate and pass like Brown does don’t grow on trees! Sens like his upside and the area connection with his dad in charge of the 67’s.
13. Carolina — Clayton Keller. This small but dynamic table-setter has been highly productive with the U.S. National Team. The Hurricanes are happy to bring Keller into the fold, but he’s off to Boston University first.
14. Boston — Dante Fabbro. He’s got the talent, speed, poise and hockey IQ to make a difference, and character is a bonus for the talent-needy Bruins’ defense.
15. Minnesota — Kieffer Bellows. Edina native’s hometown roots and scoring ability makes him a good fit here. And it doesn’t hurt that dad was a big scoring star for the North Stars back in the day.
16. Detroit — Michael McLeod. The Wings have an exciting pivot in Larkin, and now they get a real two-way guy and leader to lock it down. McLeod represents fine value if he slips to the middle of the round.
17. Nashville — Charlie McAvoy. With the trade of Seth Jones, the Preds have room to add another young, offensively skilled D-man to their mix. His defense is still a work in progress, but McAvoy will generate chances.
18. Philadelphia — German Rubtsov. The Flyers pounce on a talented pivot who can beat you any which way. GM Ron Hextall is building an impressive stable and this Russian horse is a thoroughbred.
19. NY Islanders — Julien Gauthier. Big, fast and skilled even with second-half scoring woes. The Isles stop the slide at 19 and hope his second half was an aberration.
20. Arizona (from NY Rangers) — Logan Stanley. Arizona grabs a potential shutdown defender to go with Juolevi. Keeping pucks out of the net has been a major issue for them of late.
21. Carolina (from Los Angeles) — Max Jones. After picking a small playmaker earlier, the ‘Canes add a power forward with some bite and nasty to his game.
22. Winnipeg (from Chicago) — Riley Tufte. He’s got big-time upside even if he will take a while to develop. The Jets can afford to be patient after getting Laine.
23. Florida — Tage Thompson. We wouldn’t take him here, but the size and potential points to a first-round landing spot for the UConn power play ace.
24. Anaheim — Luke Kunin. How did he fall to a very good Ducks team? Doesn’t matter — bottom line is the rich get richer with a player who impressed a lot as a Badgers freshman.
25. Dallas — Dennis Cholowski. Big-time riser hit a major growth spurt and his two-way game has really progressed enough to put him in the late first round.
26. Washington — Pascal Laberge. He just finds ways to score goals, and the Caps look to add more speed and quickness after being outskated in the second round.
27. Tampa Bay — Alex DeBrincat. Likely losing a lot of goals if Steven Stamkos leaves, so why not grab the draft’s most dangerous pure scorer?
28. St. Louis — Kale Clague. With Kevin Shattenkirk likely on the way out via trade or free agency in 2017, it’s a great time to add this impressive potential replacement as a puck moving threat. Clague is underrated and he’s a fine value for the Blues here.
29. Boston (from San Jose) — Markus Niemelainen. Boston’s defense corps rebuild adds a big man who can really skate and might just be coming into his own with some untapped offensive potential.
30. Toronto (from Pittsburgh) — Cameron Morrison. After getting the big horse in Matthews up the middle, why not go with a power winger with major upside here?
2016 NHL mock draft
by Kyle Woodlief, USA TODAY Sports
1. Toronto — Auston Matthews. Leafs kick-start their rebuild with a franchise center-in-waiting who got valuable pro experience in Switzerland with Zurich.
2. Winnipeg — Patrik Laine. The Jets are the first winners of “Draft Lotto Jackpot” and move up four spots under the new rules to snag this beast of a winger. The NHL needs finishers and Laine could be a future Rocket Richard Trophy winner.
3. Columbus — Jesse Puljujärvi. The Blue Jackets consider taking Matthew Tkachuk here, but in the end, Puljujarvi’s size and ability make him the best player available for Jarmo Kekalainen and Co.
4. Edmonton — Matthew Tkachuk. The Oilers continue to stockpile talent. Keith’s kid will do some major damage with Connor McDavid and it won’t take long. Below the dots, there aren’t any bigger threats in this class than this power winger.
5. Vancouver — Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Canucks have a lot of holes, but this is one decision general manager Jim Benning won’t have trouble making, adding a skilled, versatile and very smart player who can play in the middle or on the wing.
6. Calgary — Tyson Jost. He was dominant at the U-18 tourney and zooms up the board to become another top forward for the Flames. He did a nice job of setting aside any concerns about his British Columbia Hockey League pedigree with that showing in Grand Forks.
7. Arizona — Olli Juolevi. First defenseman off the boards is what the Desert Dogs need, and he boosted his stock at the Memorial Cup by giving scouts an extended look at his skating and hockey sense.
8. Buffalo — Alex Nylander. Buffalo gets a skilled offensive complement to Jack Eichel and an interesting sibling rivalry in the Atlantic Division is born.
9. Montreal — Jake Bean. He could have gone as early as No. 6 to his hometown Flames but the Canadiens get superb value here with Red Line Report's top-rated D. No defenseman in this draft is a more dangerous scoring threat from the back-end than he is.
10. Colorado — Mikhail Sergachev. Avalanche get arguably the best blueliner out of the Ontario Hockey League — and possibly the entire draft — and smile. The “Russian Factor” won’t be an issue here.
11. New Jersey — Jakob Chychrun. His stock may be down, but fans hoping he’ll continue his slide are disappointed as the Devils snap him up. Even with some of the concerns about a down season, Chychrun still represents impressive value.
12. Ottawa — Logan Brown. Six-foot-six skilled centers who can skate and pass like Brown does don’t grow on trees! Sens like his upside and the area connection with his dad in charge of the 67’s.
13. Carolina — Clayton Keller. This small but dynamic table-setter has been highly productive with the U.S. National Team. The Hurricanes are happy to bring Keller into the fold, but he’s off to Boston University first.
14. Boston — Dante Fabbro. He’s got the talent, speed, poise and hockey IQ to make a difference, and character is a bonus for the talent-needy Bruins’ defense.
15. Minnesota — Kieffer Bellows. Edina native’s hometown roots and scoring ability makes him a good fit here. And it doesn’t hurt that dad was a big scoring star for the North Stars back in the day.
16. Detroit — Michael McLeod. The Wings have an exciting pivot in Larkin, and now they get a real two-way guy and leader to lock it down. McLeod represents fine value if he slips to the middle of the round.
17. Nashville — Charlie McAvoy. With the trade of Seth Jones, the Preds have room to add another young, offensively skilled D-man to their mix. His defense is still a work in progress, but McAvoy will generate chances.
18. Philadelphia — German Rubtsov. The Flyers pounce on a talented pivot who can beat you any which way. GM Ron Hextall is building an impressive stable and this Russian horse is a thoroughbred.
19. NY Islanders — Julien Gauthier. Big, fast and skilled even with second-half scoring woes. The Isles stop the slide at 19 and hope his second half was an aberration.
20. Arizona (from NY Rangers) — Logan Stanley. Arizona grabs a potential shutdown defender to go with Juolevi. Keeping pucks out of the net has been a major issue for them of late.
21. Carolina (from Los Angeles) — Max Jones. After picking a small playmaker earlier, the ‘Canes add a power forward with some bite and nasty to his game.
22. Winnipeg (from Chicago) — Riley Tufte. He’s got big-time upside even if he will take a while to develop. The Jets can afford to be patient after getting Laine.
23. Florida — Tage Thompson. We wouldn’t take him here, but the size and potential points to a first-round landing spot for the UConn power play ace.
24. Anaheim — Luke Kunin. How did he fall to a very good Ducks team? Doesn’t matter — bottom line is the rich get richer with a player who impressed a lot as a Badgers freshman.
25. Dallas — Dennis Cholowski. Big-time riser hit a major growth spurt and his two-way game has really progressed enough to put him in the late first round.
26. Washington — Pascal Laberge. He just finds ways to score goals, and the Caps look to add more speed and quickness after being outskated in the second round.
27. Tampa Bay — Alex DeBrincat. Likely losing a lot of goals if Steven Stamkos leaves, so why not grab the draft’s most dangerous pure scorer?
28. St. Louis — Kale Clague. With Kevin Shattenkirk likely on the way out via trade or free agency in 2017, it’s a great time to add this impressive potential replacement as a puck moving threat. Clague is underrated and he’s a fine value for the Blues here.
29. Boston (from San Jose) — Markus Niemelainen. Boston’s defense corps rebuild adds a big man who can really skate and might just be coming into his own with some untapped offensive potential.
30. Toronto (from Pittsburgh) — Cameron Morrison. After getting the big horse in Matthews up the middle, why not go with a power winger with major upside here?
2016 NHL mock draft
Steven Stamkos sweepstakes: Six of the best fits
by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports
Steven Stamkos’ pending free agency sets up to be both the greatest opportunity of his NHL career and the toughest professional decision he has ever made.
He’s the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At 26, he has spent eight seasons — his entire adult life — in Tampa and enjoys the city and its people. The Lightning are a contender, and he thinks he has unfinished business because he has not won a Stanley Cup.
But if Stamkos chooses not to re-sign, he becomes the hottest free agent July 1. He could become the NHL’s highest-paid player, surpassing the $10.5 million-per-season average of Chicago Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Stamkos’ best options this summer:
Toronto Maple Leafs: He’s from the Toronto area, and the lure of playing for an iconic Canadian franchise is always strong for a Canadian.
The Leafs are intriguing because they are in rebuilding mode and have gathered a high-quality bunch of younger players. Plus, they will draft center Auston Matthews this month. A Stamkos-Matthews one-two center combination might be enticing enough for the Maple Leafs to offer Stamkos $11 million per season for the seven-season maximum.
They might have to do that to land him, because Canada’s tax rates are high and Florida has no state income tax. Stamkos, however, could land endorsement deals in Toronto to make up for the money he loses to taxes.
Stumbling block: It’s not easy dealing with the pressure and the news media in Toronto. Ask Phil Kessel.
Buffalo Sabres: Much like the Leafs, the Sabres are a team on the rise. If he signs there, Stamkos would join a high-quality forward group that includes Ryan O’Reilly, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is to the Sabres what Victor Hedman is to the Lightning.
Buffalo isn’t far from Toronto, so Stamkos still would be close to home. The Sabres have the salary cap space to pay him what the Maple Leafs could.
Stumbling block: Because the Sabres aren’t quite a contender, they lack the wow factor of other possible destinations.
Detroit Red Wings: With Pavel Datsyuk expected to move back to Russia, the Red Wings would like to make a dramatic move to improve their roster. Signing Stamkos would do it. They would have Stamkos and young Dylan Larkin as their top two centers.
The big question is whether they can create enough cap space to make this work. They would have trade Datsyuk’s contract.
Although the Red Wings haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 2008, they have a rich history that Stamkos would appreciate. They also are moving into a new arena.
Stumbling block: The Red Wings might be on the decline if they can’t find more scoring and upgrade their defense this summer.
Lightning: The closer we get to July 1, the less likely it is Stamkos will re-sign. But the Lightning can give him an eight-season contract, and no other team can do that.
The problem: The Lightning have other young stars they need to sign, and they don’t think they can match what Stamkos can earn on the open market. They would want Stamkos to give the Lightning a hometown discount.
The Lightning have options. With expansion likely coming, they will have to decide between keeping goalie Ben Bishop or Andrei Vasilevskiy. If they deal Bishop this summer, it would ease their salary cap constraint. A trade of Valtteri Filppula could also create funds to pay Stamkos.
Stumbling block: Stamkos prefers to play center, and coach Jon Cooper has played Stamkos on the wing in the past.
New York Islanders: It’s not hard to imagine the Islanders have been thinking about the possibility of having Stamkos and John Tavares as their top centers.
They likely are losing Kyle Okposo and maybe Frans Nielsen to free agency, which would save them enough money to make this work.
Stumbling block: The Islanders’ move to Brooklyn has not worked quite as well as the franchise had hoped. The Islanders’ ability to contend is also a challenging read. How close would signing Stamkos bring them?
Montreal Canadiens: Stamkos is exactly what the Canadiens need to upgrade their offense, but it would require considerable maneuvering to get it done.
Would the Canadiens consider trading defenseman P.K. Subban to create the wherewithal to sign Stamkos? Only general manager Marc Bergevin knows the answer.
Stumbling block: Players in Montreal are under the microscope, maybe even more than those in Toronto. That would be a big change for Stamkos after he had some measure of privacy in Tampa.
(Strange that New Jersey hasn't been mentioned)
by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports
Steven Stamkos’ pending free agency sets up to be both the greatest opportunity of his NHL career and the toughest professional decision he has ever made.
He’s the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At 26, he has spent eight seasons — his entire adult life — in Tampa and enjoys the city and its people. The Lightning are a contender, and he thinks he has unfinished business because he has not won a Stanley Cup.
But if Stamkos chooses not to re-sign, he becomes the hottest free agent July 1. He could become the NHL’s highest-paid player, surpassing the $10.5 million-per-season average of Chicago Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Stamkos’ best options this summer:
Toronto Maple Leafs: He’s from the Toronto area, and the lure of playing for an iconic Canadian franchise is always strong for a Canadian.
The Leafs are intriguing because they are in rebuilding mode and have gathered a high-quality bunch of younger players. Plus, they will draft center Auston Matthews this month. A Stamkos-Matthews one-two center combination might be enticing enough for the Maple Leafs to offer Stamkos $11 million per season for the seven-season maximum.
They might have to do that to land him, because Canada’s tax rates are high and Florida has no state income tax. Stamkos, however, could land endorsement deals in Toronto to make up for the money he loses to taxes.
Stumbling block: It’s not easy dealing with the pressure and the news media in Toronto. Ask Phil Kessel.
Buffalo Sabres: Much like the Leafs, the Sabres are a team on the rise. If he signs there, Stamkos would join a high-quality forward group that includes Ryan O’Reilly, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is to the Sabres what Victor Hedman is to the Lightning.
Buffalo isn’t far from Toronto, so Stamkos still would be close to home. The Sabres have the salary cap space to pay him what the Maple Leafs could.
Stumbling block: Because the Sabres aren’t quite a contender, they lack the wow factor of other possible destinations.
Detroit Red Wings: With Pavel Datsyuk expected to move back to Russia, the Red Wings would like to make a dramatic move to improve their roster. Signing Stamkos would do it. They would have Stamkos and young Dylan Larkin as their top two centers.
The big question is whether they can create enough cap space to make this work. They would have trade Datsyuk’s contract.
Although the Red Wings haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 2008, they have a rich history that Stamkos would appreciate. They also are moving into a new arena.
Stumbling block: The Red Wings might be on the decline if they can’t find more scoring and upgrade their defense this summer.
Lightning: The closer we get to July 1, the less likely it is Stamkos will re-sign. But the Lightning can give him an eight-season contract, and no other team can do that.
The problem: The Lightning have other young stars they need to sign, and they don’t think they can match what Stamkos can earn on the open market. They would want Stamkos to give the Lightning a hometown discount.
The Lightning have options. With expansion likely coming, they will have to decide between keeping goalie Ben Bishop or Andrei Vasilevskiy. If they deal Bishop this summer, it would ease their salary cap constraint. A trade of Valtteri Filppula could also create funds to pay Stamkos.
Stumbling block: Stamkos prefers to play center, and coach Jon Cooper has played Stamkos on the wing in the past.
New York Islanders: It’s not hard to imagine the Islanders have been thinking about the possibility of having Stamkos and John Tavares as their top centers.
They likely are losing Kyle Okposo and maybe Frans Nielsen to free agency, which would save them enough money to make this work.
Stumbling block: The Islanders’ move to Brooklyn has not worked quite as well as the franchise had hoped. The Islanders’ ability to contend is also a challenging read. How close would signing Stamkos bring them?
Montreal Canadiens: Stamkos is exactly what the Canadiens need to upgrade their offense, but it would require considerable maneuvering to get it done.
Would the Canadiens consider trading defenseman P.K. Subban to create the wherewithal to sign Stamkos? Only general manager Marc Bergevin knows the answer.
Stumbling block: Players in Montreal are under the microscope, maybe even more than those in Toronto. That would be a big change for Stamkos after he had some measure of privacy in Tampa.
(Strange that New Jersey hasn't been mentioned)
One of the dirtiest player to ever lace the skates died earlier today.
R.I.P. Gordie Howe. It wasn't by chance that you were nicknamed Mr. Hockey. You were a great player in your own right and the fact you kept on playing until age 52 had nothing to do with it.
R.I.P. Gordie Howe. It wasn't by chance that you were nicknamed Mr. Hockey. You were a great player in your own right and the fact you kept on playing until age 52 had nothing to do with it.
I recall when Gordie Howe was nearly 50 years old and playing for the Hartford Whalers in the late 1970s. His two sons were also playing on the Whalers at the time. Some goon on another team attacked one of Gordie's sons and Gordie made the coach send him out on the ice the next shift. Gordie went right after the goon, dropped him with a punch, and then as the goon lay flat on his back on the ice, Gordie stuck two fingers into the guys nostrils and picked him up from the ice by his nostrils. I had never seen that done before. After that the Howe boys really didn't get harassed and one of them was a defenseman who was VERY good.
NJ Devils acquire Marc Savard in trade with Florida Panthers
NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils acquired forward Marc Savard and a second-round pick in 2018 from the Florida Panthers on Friday for Graham Black and Paul Thompson.
Savard, 38, hasn't played since the 2010-11 season because of concussion-related issues. He has 207 goals and 499 assists in 807 career regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Calgary, Atlanta and Boston. In 25 playoff games, he has eight goals and 14 assists.
Black, 23, spent last season with Albany in the American Hockey League. The center had seven goals and two assists in 50 games.
Thompson, 27, was scoreless in three games last season for the Devils. The forward had 13 goals and 22 assists in 56 games for Albany.
NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils acquired forward Marc Savard and a second-round pick in 2018 from the Florida Panthers on Friday for Graham Black and Paul Thompson.
Savard, 38, hasn't played since the 2010-11 season because of concussion-related issues. He has 207 goals and 499 assists in 807 career regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Calgary, Atlanta and Boston. In 25 playoff games, he has eight goals and 14 assists.
Black, 23, spent last season with Albany in the American Hockey League. The center had seven goals and two assists in 50 games.
Thompson, 27, was scoreless in three games last season for the Devils. The forward had 13 goals and 22 assists in 56 games for Albany.
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