2006/2007 Hockey Season Thread

[Toe]

I would rather see a team go to the Yukon.

That would be cool.

[Gabriel]

Sean, you honestly don't think that implimenting the salary cap has allowed the Canadian teams to be more competitive? I could've sworn that Pre-Cap, most of our teams were struggling to make the playoffs, let alone win a Stanley Cup. After the Habs finished their run at the top, it was the Canucks in 94, the Leafs in 99, Leafs again in 02... aside from that... the almost 10 year span saw very little action from the majority of the Canadian teams, and I think that the salary cap has fixed that problem.

[SeanDMan]

Yeah, god damn those pre cap Canadian teams failing to make the playoffs, watching while the evil American powerhouse Calgary Flames were within 1 game of winning the Stanley Cup. Thank god for the salary cap!

[The Sultan of Swank]

I thought you were from... shit the name is escaping me now. Where they had the SARS concert... I'm really drawing a blank here, but wherever that is. I know I often mistook it for a junction on the transcanada much like Cornwall.

Also, Gabe, Toronto lost in the Confrence finals those years. While a good run, it's not like Edmonton, Ottawa, Calgary or Vancouver who actually WENT to the finals. I believe the last time they made it to the finals was in 67, when they last won the cup, since then they've gone to the Conference finals or the equivalent of in 78(4-0 Loss to Montreal), 93(4-3 Loss to Kings in what could have been a bitchin Montreal Toronto series), 94( 4-1 Loss to the Nucks) then the recent ones.

Edited May 25, 2007 by The Sultan of Swank

[Gabriel]

That was the last year at pre-cap though. The Flames managed to build a great team using draft picks and trades to bring in younger guys.

The vast majority of that time was dominated by American teams, and the league was littered with franchises trying to buy a Stanley Cup. Since the cap has been installed, all six of the Canadian teams have been competitive and working for a playoff spot.

[SeanDMan]

You're missing the point though. There was no reason Canadian teams couldn't compete without the cap, as Calgary showed. Hell, if Ottawa didn't choke so badly, Toronto wasn't so damn old, and Dan Cloutier wasn't so damn atrocious, you easily could have a Canadian team in the finals for five straight years.

The primary reason Canadian teams bitched and moaned was because of the Canadian dollar. When the Canadian dollar went up the big market Canadian teams (with big corporate owners like TML, OTW, and VFC) started to put together big money, run and gun teams that actually got decimated by the salary cap. Toronto may never recover, and even though that makes me happy, it is a direct and pointed example that the cap is not the faoiy tale that Gary Bettman would have you believe it to be.

Just to do some simple math, also:

There are 30 NHL teams.

6 of them are Canadian. That is 20 percent.

Since the 30th team entered the NHL, before the lockout, there were 4 Stanley Cup finals.

1 of them featured a Canadian team. That's 25 percent.

When you have the Canadian contingent of the NHL, which constitutes roughly 20 percent, making it to roughly 20 percent of the Stanley Cup finals, you do not have a problem.

Now bang your head against your desk six times.

[Lowerdeck]

I'd like to see Hockey return to Quebec City. I mean Atlanta and Colorado both have had 2 franchises. I'd also like a return of the Hartford Whalers please.

I knew I thought you was cool for a reason.

No NHL team will move to Hartford until they build a new Civic Center, which won't be for at least 5-10 years. The earliest, and that's if everyone got their shit together, is 2013. And that is unlikely, even though it's needed.

[Plubby]

Sean

[Guest Grapehead]

I love watching guys try to argue with SDM, it just makes me happy.

In other news, I'm DYING waiting for the final to start. The more I wait the more doubt starts creeping into my mind, and I have to keep pushing it out. I know Ottawa is going to win the cup, I did predict them, and I think I picked them over Anaheim ... maybe not. Either way, this is like Christmas in May.

[Toe]

The Leafs signed Nikolai Kulemin to a three year entry level contract. Kulemin played for Magnitorosk is Russia and was Malkin's linemate last year. This year he was a leading scoring in the league. The Leafs are going to send him back to play next year in Russia unless he wows them in training camp, but it is good to know that the Leafs have a few good prospects in the system.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Habs are apparently very close to a deal with Markov for 4 or 5 years worth $20 Million. Which means that Souray isn't comming back, or something good is happening and we're going to ditch Kovalev. Apparently, Sergei Kostitsyn who is Andrei's little brother and apparently has way more talent and potential than Andrei (who was quite an impressive playmaker for the Habs in the few games he played, especially the no look around the back pass to Plekanec on a 2 on 1) is also a few days away from signing a 3 year entry level deal worth what I've heard is going to be between 450,000 and 600,000. Sergei, 20 finished 3rd in OHL scoring this season in the incredibly talented company of Patrick Kane and John Tavares with 131 points only 3 behind Tavares in 8 less games. He was 18th in Goals, with 40 and led the OHL in assists with 91.

This kid looks like he could be an outstanding player. While Tavares will certainly go on to bigger and better things with the natural scoring ability he has, any player who finishes third in OHL scoring with 131 points in 59 games averaging 2.2 points per game is clearly incredibly talented.

It seems that absolutely has noticed him, he was picked 200th overall in the 7th round of the 2005 draft but has really seemed to develop into a grade A player in his last year of Junior hockey. Brother Andrei was a 1st round, 10th overall pick in 2005.

EDIT: Kostitsyn, of the Sergei variety inks a 3 year deal with the Habs. Markov is said to be a day or two away at the most from becomming the Highest paid Hab, likely to sign a 4 year 20 million dollar contract.

Also, I found a great excel chart of the UFA's for each team, this seasons salary etc. I was looking at it, and with the players expected not to come back next season, Aebischer, Bonk, Niinimaa, Souray and Perezhogen (all are pretty much gone). That's almost 10 Million in salary, add in the 3.5 Million for Samsonov, it comes out to 13,209,000. Hopefully, Montreal will be able to focus on players like Markov(who is likely to sign for 5 mil per season), Ryder, Higgins, Komisarek and Plekanec. With the salary cap also going up, Montreal has a pretty good shot at retaining the core of their team.

Edited May 27, 2007 by The Sultan of Swank

[Guest Grapehead]

What was with that article on nhl.com about all the canadian people who ARENT going to cheer for Ottawa, haha. The Leafs guy was an IDIOT, he isn't cheering for Ottawa cause they are too new? Cause the Ducks are an old dynasty??? What a douchebag. Still, I'd prefer there was no bandwagon for Ottawa, this is for OUR(true fans) enjoyment only.

[Toe]

I'm cheering for the Anaheim Ducks. I want Conway to do the triple deke and win it all for Coach Bombay!

The Canadiens are not a poor team. Are they going to just eat Samsonov's salary and stick him in the minors for next season (unless he looks really good in camp)?

[Guest Grapehead]

Man I wouldn't even be upset if it went to game 7, overtime, penalty shot... and someone on the Ducks busted out the triple deke.

[The Sultan of Swank]

DP DT, the plan from what I heard is either going to be Bob demoting him to the minors, a buy out (unlikely) or a deal (likely). I've heard that he may land in Phoenix or Detroit sort of a garbage swap type deal. Not the best circumstances, but his salary is so damn atrociously high.

Markov signs a 4 year McCabe like deal(hopefully it turns out better for Montreal). Sportsnet is reporting 23.5 million over 4 years, which I feel is overpaying. And is basically comfirmation that Souray is a goner.

[Hajjhowe]

I love watching guys try to argue with SDM, it just makes me happy.

In other news, I'm DYING waiting for the final to start. The more I wait the more doubt starts creeping into my mind, and I have to keep pushing it out. I know Ottawa is going to win the cup, I did predict them, and I think I picked them over Anaheim ... maybe not. Either way, this is like Christmas in May.

[Toe]

I love watching guys try to argue with SDM, it just makes me happy.

In other news, I'm DYING waiting for the final to start. The more I wait the more doubt starts creeping into my mind, and I have to keep pushing it out. I know Ottawa is going to win the cup, I did predict them, and I think I picked them over Anaheim ... maybe not. Either way, this is like Christmas in May.

You are going to be so very dissapointed.

Also, I think the Habs are making the right move in dropping Souray. He's horribly overrated and his 'amazing' goal scoring is more a testament to the Canadiens lack of offensive firepower than his actual ability. They are much better off with the cap room to get a real defenseman or an actual forward.

[Toe]

Oh, Ottawa lost game one. I just figured that should be mentioned.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Lost is what happens when two team show up and one beats the other in competitive sport. This was more like a gang rape.

[Gabriel]

The raping continues, as the Anaheim Ducks made Ottawa their bitch yet again tonight. If it had not been for the amazing play by Ray Emery (who, I will admit, has done well and surprised me in the playoffs this year)... had it not been for Emery, the game would have been a complete blowout.

The newspapers were quoting Bryan Murray as saying that his team had too long of a layoff before game one, and that they hadn't found their legs yet... well, apparently, their legs are still missing, because Anaheim owned them in every aspect of this game.

Ottawa needs to get their shit together if they want this series to last past Monday night. They can't be giving up the puck as much as they have, and they can't be losing their cools like Mike Fisher did tonight. Speaking of which, holy shit...the guy got 2 minutes for about 12 minutes worth of penalties. He was all over the fucking place during that shift. I'm not knocking the call though, just saying, Fisher's gotta cool his jets before he does something really stupid.

The Ducks played amazing again tonight. Giguere is the centerpiece of a great team, as the Penner, Perry and Getzlaf line continues to play awesome, Teemu Selanne continues to prove why he is so highly regarded, Rob Niedermayer's checking line continues to shut down the Senators top three players, and the defensemen (all of them) continually do a great job of keeping the puck as far away from Giguere as possible.

Ottawa's had a good run, but they have too many faults at this stage in the game. If Emery breaks down now, the series will be over, regardless of whether or not anyone else steps their game up.

Anaheim is probably the most complete team this year in the Playoff's, and they're really showing it at this late stage.

Unrelated, but equally as important... where do you think Sheldon Souray's headed? With the Red Wings looking to liven up their defensive line, I think he'd be a great fit there.