Around the NHL: Free Agent Frenzy begins July 1 at noon

[Chainshot]

This was a hoot:

 

[Chainshot]

And Marty St. Louis retirement brings closure to a conversation Jim_Bob and I had on the old Sabres ESPN boards 16 years ago. Okay, I'm feeling old.

 

[TehDoak]

This was a hoot:

Ha. Babcock vs the Toronto media is going to be something to watch.

Whats funny is this probably started by Kessel calling out the media early in the year for their treatment of Dion Phaneuf.

Amazing that Mats Sundin, the guy who irrevocably torpeo'd the leafs LAST attempt at a rebuild by getting ALL the veterans to use their NMCs to block trades is treated as a hero. I'm not a big Kessel fan, but at worst he was simply part of the problem. He never was THE problem.

 

[Chainshot]

Ha. Babcock vs the Toronto media is going to be something to watch.

Whats funny is this probably started by Kessel calling out the media early in the year for their treatment of Dion Phaneuf.

Amazing that Mats Sundin, the guy who irrevocably torpeo'd the leafs LAST attempt at a rebuild by getting ALL the veterans to use their NMCs to block trades is treated as a hero. I'm not a big Kessel fan, but at worst he was simply part of the problem. He never was THE problem.

Or that in acquiring Kessel, Burke used pieces that would be young vets in the here-and-now -- that also isn't on Husqvarna Phil.

 

[joshjull]

 

[TehDoak]

Or that in acquiring Kessel, Burke used pieces that would be young vets in the here-and-now -- that also isn't on Husqvarna Phil.

Imagine if the Toronto office:

A) didn't do the Rask for Raycroft deal
B) Never traded for Kessel
C) Were able to get good returns for Kaberle and Sundin (and a few other vets who wouldn't waive)

It;s nearly as bad as us matching the Vanek offersheet in hindsight.

 

[TehDoak]

I have all sorts of respect for the blackhawks and their turnaround. I love chicago and would move back there in a heart beat

But my god has Chicago's success gone straight to this writer's head:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ks-trade-saad-rosenbloom-20150701-column.html

Again, I could be wrong, but Bowman not only changed on the fly when Saad’s side reportedly demanded $6 million a year, but he also seemed to send a message to other players who want to take a hard stance in negotiations. You can collect your jackpot in hockey’s hinterlands.

Such moves aren’t new in the NHL -- all sports, actually. Teams have tried to punish players this way for years.

It’s why Buffalo, Winnipeg and Edmonton have existed in the NHL. It’s why Oakland and Jacksonville exist in the NFL. It’s why Sacramento and Philadelphia exist in the NBA. It’s why Cleveland exists, period.

Players who acted badly have been threatened with trades to dogbreath franchises in dogbreath cities. Coaches can establish their power by determining playing time; GMs can make a point by trading a player into oblivion.

No idea when this guy started covering Chicago sports, but I really doubt Columbus was chosen as a punishment. Less than a decade removed from playing front of empty barns the writer thinks Chicago is so special players will bow down and take paycuts. Kane and Toews certainly didn't.

 

[Djp]

2 pieces on twitter.....

Luke Adam signed with the Rangers

Winnipeg sign Lemieux to an ELC

 

[Woodhouse]

Six years for Saad:

 

[Woodhouse]

Also, Dangle's Kessel trade video:

 

[Gabrielor]

Also, Dangle's Kessel trade video:

This guy is hilarious.

 

[RoofIt5hole]

Quick hypothetical... if the kings end up voiding voynov's contract, any chance Terry Murray convinces Tim to sign him? Obviously, on ice he'd be great, but the off ice blowback...

 

[flashsabre]

Quick hypothetical... if the kings end up voiding voynov's contract, any chance Terry Murray convinces Tim to sign him? Obviously, on ice he'd be great, but the off ice blowback...

No way!

1) It sounds like he will be deported to Russia.

2). You don't acquire young kids with this much talent and then bring a guy who beat the crap out of his wife and just got out of jail to come be their teammate.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I get why Oduya is waiting for cap space in Chicago, but I wonder what's holding up Ehrhoff from being signed somewhere. I wonder if he's waiting to slide into Chicago for cheap if Oduya leaves. I guess we might not find out until Sharp is traded.

 

[TehDoak]

I get why Oduya is waiting for cap space in Chicago, but I wonder what's holding up Ehrhoff from being signed somewhere. I wonder if he's waiting to slide into Chicago for cheap if Oduya leaves. I guess we might not find out until Sharp is traded.

He's probably alot of teams B choice

Maybe his agent thinks his demand will go up once Oduya signs

 

[Zip15]

2 pieces on twitter.....

Luke Adam signed with the Rangers

Winnipeg sign Lemieux to an ELC

Here I was thinking he wasn't going to sign an ELC due to Winnipeg's deep LW pool.

 

[Freezerburn]

Part of me wants to believe that the whole Ehrhoff buyout situation ("If guys don't want to be here I'll make their wish happen"~paraphrasing) was part of a multi-year plot to bring him back on the Sabres. Buy him out to get him away from the tire fire with the plan to sign him again when the going got better.

He'd be a perfect fit in our lineup for the next 2-3 years or so.

 

[billsandsabres]

And Marty St. Louis retirement brings closure to a conversation Jim_Bob and I had on the old Sabres ESPN boards 16 years ago. Okay, I'm feeling old.

don't worry, that makes 2 of us. i haven't seen sacre bleu in a while!

 

[BloFan4Life]

Part of me wants to believe that the whole Ehrhoff buyout situation ("If guys don't want to be here I'll make their wish happen"~paraphrasing) was part of a multi-year plot to bring him back on the Sabres. Buy him out to get him away from the tire fire with the plan to sign him again when the going got better.

He'd be a perfect fit in our lineup for the next 2-3 years or so.

Concussions have really hurt him. He was really bad last year. I think he is just about done in the NHL. Will probably sign some cheap 1 year deal somewhere and call it quits after that.

 

[joshjull]

Concussions have really hurt him. He was really bad last year. I think he is just about done in the NHL. Will probably sign some cheap 1 year deal somewhere and call it quits after that.

How many has he had ?

 

[Jacob582]

And Marty St. Louis retirement brings closure to a conversation Jim_Bob and I had on the old Sabres ESPN boards 16 years ago. Okay, I'm feeling old.

Link? Or it never happened.

 

[Jacob582]

Part of me wants to believe that the whole Ehrhoff buyout situation ("If guys don't want to be here I'll make their wish happen"~paraphrasing) was part of a multi-year plot to bring him back on the Sabres. Buy him out to get him away from the tire fire with the plan to sign him again when the going got better.

He'd be a perfect fit in our lineup for the next 2-3 years or so.

Haha...I wanted to believe that too (before the concussions).

 

[Jacob582]

Concussions have really Can hurt him. He was really bad last year. I think he is just about done in the NHL. Will probably sign some cheap 1 year deal somewhere and call it quits after that.

You don't think he will recover from concussions?

I think he played good at the beginning of the year. I remember saying Ehrhoff was coming back to Buffalo (farfetched I know), and Pens fans saying in December, no way, he is signing an extension when he can after the new year.