News Article: News from Around the League - Part XXXVI

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

People forget that Volchenkov was on the first pair of the best statistical PK of all time.

Most overated stat ever. You don't have to do anything on the PK but hold your position and waive your stick around to block passes. Hall Gill is a master on the PK cause he's 6"8' and has a 10 foot stick, so he just goes on one knee and blocks about every passing lane available... yet, I wouldn't want him on my team even he came for free cause outside of that, he's useless.

Those players might come in handy around playoff time as a #6/#7 d-men, but not at the price we are paying #28. If PP specialist like M-A Bergeron earns just around 1M$ per, why would a PK specialist earn 4x that... just doesn't make sense to me.

I have nothing against him and yes, we do need players like him on our team but Lou likes to overpay for tough SAH d-men, for whatever reason, wich I don't understand why.

 

[Bleedred]

Also I don't think it's the end of our team to have the A-Train. It's just something to complain about!

It probably is the worst contract on the team though right now. Salvador's could be trouble down the road. I firmly believe if Lou re signs him in June like he did Harrold, CBGB, and Janssen, that he stays for $2.5 million a year max. I hope he doesn't pull the same **** with Patty cause of Zajac, and Clarkson next year, but he probably will. Then we might have to re sign Patty at 37 for more than what he made last contract.

 

[apice3*]

And when he went downhill so did that PK.

I don't hate Volchenkov. I hate his salary. I would be happy to have him for a million less, and without the no trade clause. If we didn't have financial problems, or the cap stayed at $70 million I couldn't complain about him. I love Bryce, but his contract sucks too. I think if Lou had re signed him in June he would have stayed for probably $2-$2.5 million a year, and maybe only 2 years. I'm afraid the same thing happens with Zubrus this year. I'm afraid the same thing happens with all our UFA's to be honest. Can you imagine $5 million a year for Clarkson?

That's the beauty of inflation. As time goes on, things cost more, salaries rise, etc. Unfortunately the owners are immature and can't spend wisely so we have these lockouts and salary rollbacks every 6 years.

The no-trade clause is an overrated concept. It's rare that a player refuses to waive his NTC. Generally if a team wants a player gone, the player isn't going to want to stay. As for the million dollars you'd like to save, it's really not a big deal considering how far off the cap we are. I just believe that Volchenkov's contract isn't that bad. It's not hampering us from doing anything like Rolston was a few years ago.

 

[Bleedred]

That's the beauty of inflation. As time goes on, things cost more, salaries rise, etc. Unfortunately the owners are immature and can't spend wisely so we have these lockouts and salary rollbacks every 6 years.

The no-trade clause is an overrated concept. It's rare that a player refuses to waive his NTC. Generally if a team wants a player gone, the player isn't going to want to stay. As for the million dollars you'd like to save, it's really not a big deal considering how far off the cap we are. I just believe that Volchenkov's contract isn't that bad. It's not hampering us from doing anything like Rolston was a few years ago.

Alright I agree on the NTC. We don't know if he would waive or not. And yes I told people from the day Rolston was signed it was a bad idea. Sutter recommended him to Lou, and then played him on the 3rd line nightly which was okay cause our team was so deep that year. I think had we had a better PP, Rolston might have done a little bit better.

Also you said rollback. Will there be a rollback? I can't keep up with this circus anymore!

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

That's the beauty of inflation. As time goes on, things cost more, salaries rise, etc. Unfortunately the owners are immature and can't spend wisely so we have these lockouts and salary rollbacks every 6 years.

The no-trade clause is an overrated concept. It's rare that a player refuses to waive his NTC. Generally if a team wants a player gone, the player isn't going to want to stay. As for the million dollars you'd like to save, it's really not a big deal considering how far off the cap we are. I just believe that Volchenkov's contract isn't that bad. It's not hampering us from doing anything like Rolston was a few years ago.

True on all counts... but I'd like my highest paid d-men to play the most minutes at any given time, wich isn't the case with Volch last year and it won't get any better over the remaining years of his deal.

 

[apice3*]

Most overated stat ever. You don't have to do anything on the PK but hold your position and waive your stick around to block passes. Hall Gill is a master on the PK cause he's 6"8' and has a 10 foot stick, so he just goes on one knee and blocks about every passing lane available... yet, I wouldn't want him on my team even he came for free cause outside of that, he's useless.

Those players might come in handy around playoff time as a #6/#7 d-men, but not at the price we are paying #28. If PP specialist like M-A Bergeron earns just around 1M$ per, why would a PK specialist earn 4x that... just doesn't make sense to me.

I have nothing against him and yes, we do need players like him on our team but Lou likes to overpay for tough SAH d-men, for whatever reason, wich I don't understand why.

Volchenkov is far from a PK specialist and you know that. He's more than capable of playing 5v5. He had a positive CORSI despite taking the 5th fewest amount of faceoffs in the offensive zone on our team. Had a better CORSI than Tallinder, Zidlicky, Salvador, Fayne, and Greene.

 

[apice3*]

Alright I agree on the NTC. We don't know if he would waive or not. And yes I told people from the day Rolston was signed it was a bad idea. Sutter recommended him to Lou, and then played him on the 3rd line nightly which was okay cause our team was so deep that year. I think had we had a better PP, Rolston might have done a little bit better.

Also you said rollback. Will there be a rollback? I can't keep up with this circus anymore!

I don't think there will be a rollback because the PA doesn't seem like they're willing to budge on it.

 

[Bleedred]

I don't think there will be a rollback because the PA doesn't seem like they're willing to budge on it.

I'd hope they would with a $60 million cap for next year, but I think the league might compromise on that, and put it up to $63 if there is no rollback. I hope so at least. We haven't seen much negotiating at all. How about these jokers work off a proposal, and negotiate from there. Not keep submitting new proposals every time they're done reviewing the league's. GTF in the room, and tell them what you want changed. No reason to keep putting forth new ones.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

Volchenkov is far from a PK specialist and you know that. He's more than capable of playing 5v5. He had a positive CORSI despite taking the 5th fewest amount of faceoffs in the offensive zone on our team. Had a better CORSI than Tallinder, Zidlicky, Salvador, Fayne, and Greene.

WTF do I care about CORSI stats, seriously... I watch the games and go from there. You can have the best CORSI stat alive and still cause your team more harm then anything else.

This isn't a stat league or fantasy hockey, the game is played on the ice and Volchenkov is playing minimal minutes while earning a heavy paycheck and that's all that really matters at the end of the day.

Is there a stat for average icetime Vs your paycheck? I'd bet Volchenkov would be a close second to no other then Gomez if there was such a stat.

Hey, he'd be 2nd overall in something

 

[Bleedred]

Eklund was seriously the one who broke this? Now I'm not sure what to believe from him anymore. I'll be honest I read his blog a lot, but I've always done it as a non believer. He never reported the mediation thing before everyone else, or the other deals. He also said about 10 days ago he was talking to a US Congressman, and the US government was discussing with the Canadian government a way to intervene in this lockout.

I thought ''Yeah right! This government can't fix it's own financial problems, and they wanna try and fix a sports league's?''

 

[MartyOwns]

DATWpopcorn.gif

 

[Bleedred]

DATWpopcorn.gif

You said a few pages back you like the idea of 1 buyout. Do you think the Devils will use it though? It appears to be for next year though even if there is a season this year. The buyouts would happen this Summer.

Actually I think the Devils will use it. On Krys Barch, because we already know they would have wound up buying him out on June 30th anyway. Just like Boulton last year, and just like Andrew Peters 3 years ago. And then Lou will go out after the Zajac/Clarkson/Elias mess is settled, and sign whatever other POS goon is on the market. As well as re signing Janssen before all of this on June 28th.

 

[bmqdevils]

This would be pretty cool
@CraigCustance: Interesting part of NHL offer (obtained by @Real_ESPNLeBrun) is draft lottery in which all non-playoff teams have crack at No. 1 pick.

 

[njdevsfn95]

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Via an NHL team source, highlights from the NHL's new offer to the NHLPA (from letter all 30 teams got) _ http://t.co/592DIpHq

What Devils fans should worry about: "Cap Advantage Recapture."

Why should the Devils be exempt: Kovalchuk's contract INCREASES at the tail.

Why the Devils shouldnt be exempt: lets be serious.

 

[Devils731]

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Via an NHL team source, highlights from the NHL's new offer to the NHLPA (from letter all 30 teams got) _ http://t.co/592DIpHq

What Devils fans should worry about: "Cap Advantage Recapture."

Why should the Devils be exempt: Kovalchuk's contract INCREASES at the tail.

Why the Devils shouldnt be exempt: lets be serious.

The Cap Advantage Recapture rule that's been talked about so far is all about balancing out the early in contract advantage with a late in contract balancing, when players retire early. It's a formula, so the increase at Kovy's tail makes the late contract balancing portion smaller than it otherwise would have been.

 

[bmqdevils]

Like him or not, Donald fehr knows what he's doing. Much smarter than bettman. Knew a better deal would come with time and it did. Hope he's not too greedy though or the season could be gone because of it.

 

[njdevsfn95]

How much would the cap hit be according to the formula?

 

[kiwidevil]

Like him or not, Donald fehr knows what he's doing. Much smarter than bettman. Knew a better deal would come with time and it did. Hope he's not too greedy though or the season could be gone because of it.

How is he smarter? He is paid to just say no until he gets everything he wants. If he doesn't get it, the season gets canned and it makes no difference to him.

Fehr has absolutely nothing to lose in this whole thing.

 

[njdevsfn95]

Like him or not, Donald fehr knows what he's doing. Much smarter than bettman. Knew a better deal would come with time and it did. Hope he's not too greedy though or the season could be gone because of it.

He said he would get them more money and the NHL didnt move on 50/50, defining HRR, or the salary cap maximum.

If he actually negotiates he will get that cap # up.

 

[Devils731]

How much would the cap hit be according to the formula?

I forget how it worked, or even if that specifics were listed, but it looks at how much cap space savings your contract generated by you retiring earlier and then assigning those cap savings, minus what the player would have been paid, against the teams cap for what would have been the remainder of that players contract.

So in Kovy's case the cap rebalance hit would be less because his money at the end of the contract is greater than the players contracts who dive down to league minimum.

In 10-15 seasons these cap rebalance hits probably will only fill up as much cap space as a league minimum player, probably won't be something teams capologists end up worrying much about.

 

[Zippy316]

I kind of want there to be a short, compressed season. It means there will be so many games in succession that my dad will get tired of going to games and then give me the tickets to go with friends.

 

[bmqdevils]

All along bettman has been saying how this is the final offer this is the best offer etc. fehr knew not to fall for his bs. He's gonna get a better offer.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Most overated stat ever. You don't have to do anything on the PK but hold your position and waive your stick around to block passes. Hall Gill is a master on the PK cause he's 6"8' and has a 10 foot stick, so he just goes on one knee and blocks about every passing lane available... yet, I wouldn't want him on my team even he came for free cause outside of that, he's useless.

Those players might come in handy around playoff time as a #6/#7 d-men, but not at the price we are paying #28. If PP specialist like M-A Bergeron earns just around 1M$ per, why would a PK specialist earn 4x that... just doesn't make sense to me.

I have nothing against him and yes, we do need players like him on our team but Lou likes to overpay for tough SAH d-men, for whatever reason, wich I don't understand why.

this is a joke post I hope, especially the bolded.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

this is a joke post I hope, especially the bolded.

Absolutely not.

Do you see players moving all over the place on the PK? Do you need some type of skill to just stand your position and clear the net? It's all about positional defense on the PK and it's been like that for ages.

Some of you are making it sound like Anton is the Wayne Gretzky of PK'ing. They guy is good at what he does, ok, I'll agree on that but that's about it for me and it's certainly not worth 4.25M$/per for the next 3 or 4 years.

Again, if A-Train was as solid as this board makes him out to be, wouldn't DeBoer give him more minutes? He's the 7th d-men in terms of average ice time... that right there is 100x more significant then those CORSI stats and all that crap IMO.

You play your best players as often as possible, not the other way around. Is Kovy, Elias, Zajac, etc getting limited and "handpicked" minutes?

 

[DatBoyJPP]

Why can't I hold all these strawmen?