(let me know if you want on or off the list)
Active links at post # 2.
Posted on 07/02/2010 6:22:35 AM PDT by airborne
Here are a series of links on the NHL website discussing the various moves throughout the League.
Free Agent Signings (since June 30)
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=63235
Free Agency Blog - 2010
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=533377
2010 Free Agency List
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=63234
Free Agent Signings (since June 30)
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=63235
Free Agency Blog - 2010
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=533377
2010 Free Agency List
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=63234
(let me know if you want on or off the list)
Active links at post # 2.
“Ray Shero.”
Freddy’s kid?
He's got talent and is still young . . . and he was good enough to make the U.S. Olympic squad in 2010. But he missed the Olympics because he was injured, and that is the basis of one of the recurring problems the Devils had with him. He's a very "soft" player who had surprisingly little offensive production for a guy who was supposed to be an offensive-minded D-man (his career high with the Devils was all of 5 goals in a season). Good stick-checker and moves the puck well, but has a very weak shot from the point.
The Devils, on the other hand, let Martin go and replaced him yesterday with one good free agent defenseman (Henrik Tallinder) and another awesome one (Anton Volchenkov). I watched some YouTube clips of this Volchenkov, and with his physical presence he's the closest thing to Scott Stevens I've seen in years. For the first time in a long while, the Devils are now a very intimidating team on the blueline.
Yes. Ray Shero is Fred Shero’s son.
http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/02/ray-shero-discusses-his-fathers-hall-of-fame-chances/
Volchenkov is a good pick up by the Devils.
As for Martin, I have faith in Shero’s eye for talent. He seems to have picked up where Craig Patrick left off.
Good point. Like I said — I don’t question Martin’s talent, but I wonder about how he’ll hold up under physical pressure from big forwards. I think the Devils had made up their minds some time ago that they weren’t going to keep him (especially for the kind of money he was going to get as an unrestricted free agent), but the way the Flyers’ forwards completely dominated that abysmal playoff series against the Devils this past spring probably sealed the deal for him.
I HOPE the Blackhawks are done with their fire sale!
Every time I refresh my screen there’s another player gone.
Wow...$5M for a guy who scores five goals a year and does not hit anybody. Good luck in Pitt.
LOL. I think he'll be a great addition if you guys can find a solid, physical defense partner. Martin was at his best over the last couple of years when paired up with Bryce Salvador.
Brooks Orpik.
And Zbynek Michalek will be paired with our offensive minded defenseman, Kris Letang.
LOL! Happened to the Penguins both times they made the Finals.
It's the nature of the business.
Cool. An All-American defense pair, eh?
Fortunately for me, I had the Hershey Bears to watch in June. Now I'm looking forward to next season.
I hope Malkin and Staal improve over last year. After going into the Finals for 2 straight years, I'm hoping the longer break this year will help them “recharge their batteries”.
BTW, after winning the Cup, Crosby set a personal goal of shooting the puck more and improving on his goal scoring. He ended up with 51, tying for the NHL best.
I hear his goal this year is to work on becoming faster. Should be interesting to see if he succeeds.
My Canucks are a stronger team today than they were Monday.
It was amazing to see how quickly the Devils got so much better this off-season. It's not just a matter of adding those two defensemen, but there are some interesting rumors swirling around here in New Jersey about a major deal in the works to keep Kovalchuk on the Devils. Lou Lamoriello is the best GM in the NHL (and probably in all of North American pro sports), and there are some indications that the team has been laying the groundwork for a major deal like this.
I thought all of it was rampant speculation, but the rapid succession of events in recent days has led me to believe that they are all part of a much bigger plan. I'm thinking of several things in particular: (1) Jay Pandolfo and Andrew Peters readily agreeing to be placed on waivers (that lets the Devils buy out their contracts); (2) the Devils going out and signing backup goalie Johan Hedberg and defensemen Volchenkov and Tallinder so quickly on the first day of the free agent signing period; (3) the news that Volchenkov signed for less money than most people thought he'd command (he got a six-year deal with a no-trade clause in exchange for a somewhat lower average salary over the contract term); and (4) the fact that Volchenkov, Hedberg and Kovalchuk all have the same agent.
If Kovalchuk isn't signed by Los Angeles (the team that has been considered his likely destination because of their needs and their cap space) over the weekend, then I think the odds are good that he either plays for the Devils or is headed to Russia to play in the KHL.
Absolutely! Gonchar is one of the best in the game at running the power play.
The Penguins lost a leader. I hope they can sign Bill Geurin, so the have at least one seasoned veteran in the locker room.
A friend of mine has been dreaming that Kovalchuk would sign with the Capitals.
Al the Caps have done so far is sign Saborin. The goalie from Hershey, Michael Neuvirth, has won back-to-back Calder Cups.
So I expect him to move up to DC as Varlamov’s back up, and Dany will be in Heshey to start the season, backing up Holtby (another good goalie).
Happy 4th of July to everyone!
stolen from the blog Pensburgh
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