The Official M.E.R.B. Hockey Thread

[Doc Holliday]

Today's rumors around the NHL

-Flames are desperately shopping Dion Phaneuf around the league. He could be headed to either the Rangers or Atlanta. There's word that Ilya Kovalchuk might be part of a deal for Phaneuf.

-Vancouver Canucks have their sights on Tomas Plekanec.

-Sources are saying that we shouldn't be surprised if Jarome Iginla is moved by the Flames. The Flames are struggling and a shake-up might be in order.

-The Blues & the Canucks are still working on a possible trade.

-Toronto has indicated to inside sources that they'll be going after UFA Ilya Kovalchuk in the off-season.

-Boston has also indicated they'll be making a pitch for Kovalchuk prior to the trade deadline in order to add some much needed punch to its struggling offense. They figure they might not make the playoffs if drastic changes are not made to its offense.

 

[Techman]

Incredible performance tonight by the Habs beating the Rangers 6-0 to get revenge for the previous loss and the third shutout of the year for Halak! Back to back games for Halak for the first time and two great wins giving up only one goal total against the Rangers and the Devils. Now can anyone give me one good reason why he shouldn't be the team's number one goalie?

While the Habs were taking apart the Rangers, the Leafs were playing down to their typical level losing 2-ZIP to the Panthers which increases tha gap between the Habs and the pitiful Leafs to 11 points. And with Ottawa beating the sliding Bruins it moves the Habs back up into playoff contention.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Start Planning the Parade!... like you already know, its win at all costs this season, as mr gainey has your bunch of misfits into a huge hole via the salary cap the next several years.... Tech, you gonna be the Grand Marshall? jk my friend.... good win for your team.. congrats!

ps. price for kabele right now? great trade for both teams, but gainey will never trade away his "kid"

Incredible performance tonight by the Habs beating the Rangers 6-0 to get revenge for the previous loss and the third shutout of the year for Halak! Back to back games for Halak for the first time and two great wins giving up only one goal total against the Rangers and the Devils. Now can anyone give me one good reason why he shouldn't be the team's number one goalie?

While the Habs were taking apart the Rangers, the Leafs were playing down to their typical level losing 2-ZIP to the Panthers which increases tha gap between the Habs and the pitiful Leafs to 11 points. And with Ottawa beating the sliding Bruins it moves the Habs back up into playoff contention.

 

[Techman]

Why is it that Leafs fans always think we're planning a parade when we're supporting our team? We have no illusions that the Habs will win the cup this year. Montreal fans don't plan parades because because we make the playoffs and we don't call out the army when it snows a bit either. We leave such nonsense for people in Toronto.

Oh yeah...I almost forgot something. Considering the salary cap, I really hope the Leafs get Kovalchuk. His salary combined with Kessel's will probably eat up almost a third of the salary cap leaving no room to pay for any decent supporting players which will result in the Leafs staying exactly where they are, and where they belong, in the basement of the league. Kovalchuk doesn't give a damn about winning the cup. All he wants is to make as much money as possible and winning is secondary. I pity any team that's stupid enough to pay what he's asking for.

 

[gohabsgo]

Today's rumors around the NHL

-Flames are desperately shopping Dion Phaneuf around the league. He could be headed to either the Rangers or Atlanta. There's word that Ilya Kovalchuk might be part of a deal for Phaneuf.

What's the story with Phaneuf in Calgary? Why does he want out? Is it another Heatley type situation?

 

[gohabsgo]

Oh yeah...I almost forgot something. Considering the salary cap, I really hope the Leafs get Kovalchuk. His salary combined with Kessel's will probably eat up almost a third of the salary cap leaving no room to pay for any decent supporting players which will result in the Leafs staying exactly where they are, and where they belong, in the basement of the league. Kovalchuk doesn't give a damn about winning the cup. All he wants is to make as much money as possible and winning is secondary. I pity any team that's stupid enough to pay what he's asking for.

Good point - this guys more "Yashin" than "Ovechkin"

 

[lgna69xxx]

just picking teckie, no harm, cmon, you know how i roll, its a give and take relationship with leafs/habs fans, it is what makes part of the best rivalry in hockey, and in sports, besides the Yanks/red sox...

id love Kovalchuck on the Leafs, but not at 10 million per season, no way, not with todays cap

Why is it that Leafs fans always think we're planning a parade when we're supporting our team? We have no illusions that the Habs will win the cup this year. Montreal fans don't plan parades because because we make the playoffs and we don't call out the army when it snows a bit either. We leave such nonsense for people in Toronto.

Oh yeah...I almost forgot something. Considering the salary cap, I really hope the Leafs get Kovalchuk. His salary combined with Kessel's will probably eat up almost a third of the salary cap leaving no room to pay for any decent supporting players which will result in the Leafs staying exactly where they are, and where they belong, in the basement of the league. Kovalchuk doesn't give a damn about winning the cup. All he wants is to make as much money as possible and winning is secondary. I pity any team that's stupid enough to pay what he's asking for.

 

[Techman]

just picking teckie, no harm, cmon, you know how i roll, its a give and take relationship with leafs/habs fans, it is what makes part of the best rivalry in hockey, and in sports, besides the Yanks/red sox...

id love Kovalchuck on the Leafs, but not at 10 million per season, no way, not with todays cap

Of course I know that. That's why I fired my shot at Torontonians or are they called hogs because they live in hogtown , I know you don't live there! LOL

I don't know how any team could justify paying Kovalchuk that kind of money. I think it's insane to see a player asking for that kind of money and to me it shows he's only interested in himself and not the team he plays for. This is hockey after all. Maybe he should switch to baseball and play for the Yankees.

 

[Doc Holliday]

What's the story with Phaneuf in Calgary? Why does he want out? Is it another Heatley type situation?

Word is that it's the other way around. He's not playing to expectations & the team thinks his value might never be as high as it is now. Plus, the team isn't going anywhere & something has to be done to turn the tide.

 

[Doc Holliday]

id love Kovalchuck on the Leafs, but not at 10 million per season, no way, not with todays cap

I agree. I look at Atlanta & see that they haven't accomplished much even with Kovalchuk in their lineup. So giving one player that much money ($10 million+) wouldn't be the answer. They still need to find a legit #1 center & upgrade their goaltending. They need to re-sign players like White, Gustavsson & possibly Ponikarovski & Kaberle, who'll be UFA after next season. They might also decide to re-sign Mayers & Primeau at minimum cost.

It still isn't Brian Burke's team. It's a team consisting of mostly players picked up by Fergie & Cliff Fletcher. In my opinion, blame all you want on Fergie, but Fletcher did as much, if not more damage to the team than Fergie ever did. In less than a year! Once the big contracts of Stempniak, Blake & Finger are off the books, the team will have more money to go after quality free agents.

Will the Leafs go after Tomas Plekanec? I doubt it, since it's rumored Plekanec's agent is asking $5 million+ for his player. That's too much for such a player, who tends to take a year off every now and then. People tend to forget that players often overachieve (e.g. Jason Blake) in the final year of their contract.

 

[G1GBallday]

It's encouraging to see there are still some people in Toronto who are in touch with reality.

In the midst of another dismal season, are the Maple Leafs still relevant? The Reporters discuss.

http://watch.tsn.ca/the-reporters/the-reporters---january-24/#clip258930

 

[gohabsgo]

It still isn't Brian Burke's team.

Really? Burke has his ugly fingerprints all over your team.

Burke free agents

Komisarek: $4.0 million for the 242nd worst plus/minus d-man in the league. (INSANE !!!)

Beauchemin: $4.2 million for the 243rd worst plus/minus d-man in the league. (CRAZY!!!)

Gustavsson:
9 wins - 37th in league
goals against avg 2.94 – 35th in the league out of 46 goalies
Save % - 35th in the league out of 46 goalies

Rickard Wallin: 0 goals and a -7 Who? Apparently one of the “best players not playing in the NHL” so Burke goes over to Sweden to get this guy. (What's he ever done? I didn't even know who he was until he signed with the Leafs!!!)

Orr: 1 goal and a -4 (another marginal millionaire!!!)


As respected hockey columnist Howard Berger recently pointed out:

The free agents he signed last summer [Michael Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, Colton Orr and Jonas Gustavsson] have had a negligable impact on the hockey club to this point.


Burke trades

Kubina for Excelby: $1.725 million. 0 goals and a -5 (almost $2M for a seventh defenseman - Insane!!!!!)

Stralman for Wayne Primeau: $1.4 million. 2 goals. (another marginal millionaire!!!)

Last but not least, giving away two first round picks (likely to be very high picks) and a second for a dried up Kessel (with 1 meaningful goal in his last, what? 15 games?)


Speaking of Burke, here’s a truthful and excellent article:

Brian Burke…not so good.

Ol’ Al doesn’t think Ol’ Brian is such a hot general manager and he dredges up a few of Burkie’s less-stellar moment as GM

http://www2.macleans.ca/2008/08/26/brian-burkenot-so-good/

 

[Dr Edgar Who]

The Gazette's Pat Hickey says the club will pay Laraque two-thirds of his contracted salary in 2010-11, that is, $1 million of the $1.5 million on his contract. The club can spread the cap hit over two years, thus $500,000 next season and again in 2011-12.

I personally suspect that CAP SPACE is the main story here. Am I right in understanding that this move opened $1M in space next year (useful in signing goaltenders and Plekanec).

Looking more and more like Halak is the main goaltender in Montreal...

Habs must be trying to sell Price, no?

 

[Doc Holliday]

Really? Burke has his ugly fingerprints all over your team.

Komisarek & Beauchemin were very good pick-ups by Burke, Komi being the top available defenseman on the free agent market when he signed. Beauchemin is a horse, plays 25 minutes a game, and the team's unofficial captain.

Gustavsson is a rookie. He cost the Leafs the league minimum & if they don't like what they see, they'll simply let him go, which i doubt they'll do. He's been very good in most of the games he's played in & has now been annointed the Leafs #1 goaltender. The only question mark is his durability.

Rickard Wallin has been a bust, but he cost them peanuts & i doubt he'll be back after this season.

Colton Orr has been a good pick-up by Burke, a much better pick-up than Georges Laraque ever was. He's there to fight, protect the other players (Mtl doesn't even have that anymore) and still be able to play decent hockey. He can also skate fairly well and has decent hands, unlike Georges Laraque. Colton Orr is a decent fourth liner, which he was hired for. He's done his job & has earned the money they're paying him.

Pavel Kubina for Garnett Exelby was basically a salary dump in order to sign Phil Kessel & the other free agents. Exelby was a throw-in in order to make the salary dump official and legit.

Stralman for Primeau has actually turned out to be a very good move by Burke. Primeau has been very effective most of the time he's been playing & has shown leadership. Nobody in the league wanted Stralman until Columbus wound up with him after he was let go by the Calgary Flames. Personally, i always liked Anton Stralman, but he wouldn't have played much in Toronto due to their overabundance of NHL calibre defencemen. The team did him a favor by trading him away.

And finally, the Kessel trade was brilliant & Burke would re-do it any day. The picks he gave to Boston in that trade might never amount to much & Toronto got a quality & proven youngster who can score in return....for many years. His loss has been devastating to the Bruins, who are currently playing some of the worse hockey in the entire league & risk not making the playoffs because they can't score any goals. More and more Boston Bruins fans are realizing that Peter Chiarelli might have got hoodwinked in that trade with Toronto. What good are unproven draft picks when you won't make the playoffs? Marc Savard has also not been the same since Kessel's departure.

So until the contracts of Jeff Finger & Jason Blake are off the books, and players like Toskala & Stempniak are gone, it still won't fully be Brian Burke's team. Add the possible departure of coach Ron Wilson & his incompetent assistants to that list.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Opening up cap space is part of the story, but not the entire story. The team will need a lot more than $1 million in freed cap space in order to re-sign any of the two goaltenders, who will likely sign for $4 million+ somewhere, if not with the Habs. I doubt they'll have money to re-sign Plekanec, since they need to save up in order to re-sign Markov after next season. I've heard Tomas Plekanec's agent is certain he'll get offers in the $6 million+ range for his client. If this is true, the Habs should do everything in their power to trade him & at least try to get a 2nd or 3rd rounder in return. They cannot afford to once again draft and develop players & then seeing them leave as free agents without getting anything in return.

 

[Cosmo]

Really? Burke has his ugly fingerprints all over your team.

Burke free agents

Komisarek: $4.0 million for the 242nd worst plus/minus d-man in the league. (INSANE !!!)

Beauchemin: $4.2 million for the 243rd worst plus/minus d-man in the league. (CRAZY!!!)

Gustavsson:
9 wins - 37th in league
goals against avg 2.94 – 35th in the league out of 46 goalies
Save % - 35th in the league out of 46 goalies

Rickard Wallin: 0 goals and a -7 Who? Apparently one of the “best players not playing in the NHL” so Burke goes over to Sweden to get this guy. (What's he ever done? I didn't even know who he was until he signed with the Leafs!!!)

Orr: 1 goal and a -4 (another marginal millionaire!!!)


As respected hockey columnist Howard Berger recently pointed out:

The free agents he signed last summer [Michael Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, Colton Orr and Jonas Gustavsson] have had a negligable impact on the hockey club to this point.


Burke trades

Kubina for Excelby: $1.725 million. 0 goals and a -5 (almost $2M for a seventh defenseman - Insane!!!!!)

Stralman for Wayne Primeau: $1.4 million. 2 goals. (another marginal millionaire!!!)

Last but not least, giving away two first round picks (likely to be very high picks) and a second for a dried up Kessel (with 1 meaningful goal in his last, what? 15 games?)


Speaking of Burke, here’s a truthful and excellent article:

Brian Burke…not so good.

Ol’ Al doesn’t think Ol’ Brian is such a hot general manager and he dredges up a few of Burkie’s less-stellar moment as GM

http://www2.macleans.ca/2008/08/26/brian-burkenot-so-good/

Absolutely true!!!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Absolutely true!!!

You might as well should have quoted the whole post.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Boston about to make a trade

It's no secret that the Bruins need to do something in order to stop their downward spiral if they don't want to miss out on the playoffs. At Saturday's game against the Senators, the Bruins were being scouted by the Lightning, Stars, Blue Jackets and Red Wings.

Of course, the Bruins desperately need to shake-up their offense & would like to obtain a scorer from any of those teams. Make your pick. But what would those teams want from the Bruins?

 

[joelcairo]

Komisarek & Beauchemin were very good pick-ups by Burke, Komi being the top available defenseman on the free agent market when he signed.

1. You weren't so high on Komi BEFORE the Leafs got him, as MANY of your past posts indicate.
2. You may believe that they were "very good pick-ups" but the factual statistics strongly indicate otherwise. Just reread GHG's post for this factual proof.

 

[joelcairo]

Gustavsson is a rookie. He cost the Leafs the league minimum & if they don't like what they see, they'll simply let him go, which i doubt they'll do. He's been very good in most of the games he's played in & has now been annointed the Leafs #1 goaltender. The only question mark is his durability.

Yes, he's a rookie - but he's not exactly having a rookie season like Sawchuk, Brodeur, Tony Esposito - or EVEN Andrew (ha ha) Raycroft.

"Very good"? Well perhaps - that is, if your definition of "very good" is 35th out of 46 in both goals against and save percentage (???!!!). I'll give him a pass on the other stat of 37th in wins, since he plays for the Leafs, so it's a guarantee that any goalie's win record will be poor.

And you're sure as hell right about his "durability" being a question mark! No one can argue with you on that!