*

[Arnwyn]

B) Certain of the unlikely Expansion Franchises have solid hockey fans behind them: ... Nashville ...even Atlanta seems serious this time around.

Funniest thing I've read in a while in the context of the replied-to quote.

 

[devilbat]

I love hockey talk.

But I don't think it's the leaf's year as they now have most of their cap tied up in Brian McCabe, Mats Sundin and Ed Belfour.

Agreed. Also let it be said that I hate the Leafs.

It will be interesting to see if Crosby has an immediate impact with my Pens.

I think he will, short term at the box office if nothing else. I wonder if he will help attract other top tier players to Pittsburgh? Rumor is that Kovalev will be coming back to the team. A potential power play of Lemieux, Crosby and Recchi, with Kovalev on the point is pretty exciting.

See I think Dennis is a damn good goalie...... He also backstopped, I believe it was the Team Canada Juniors and was amazing there......I think he will mature to be the next Roy/Broduer.

Denis is a great backup. If I was a GM, I would love to have him on my team in that role. He absolutely does not have the skills to be an everyday goalie though, IMO. There is no way he will ever be a Brodeur or Roy type.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Denis is a great backup. If I was a GM, I would love to have him on my team in that role. He absolutely does not have the skills to be an everyday goalie though, IMO. There is no way he will ever be a Brodeur or Roy type.

I agree there. The guy is a classic example of "Solid but unexceptional". nothing wrong with that, it's a great trait...in a backup.

But you, me and everyone else have seen Goalies go on streaks. It can happen to any of them (i'm hoping Kiprusoff's has ended during the lockout ) So i still think that Columbus is looking good.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Agreed. Also let it be said that I hate the Leafs...

I don't.

I liked them a lot when they had Kirk Muller, Doug Gilmour and Wendell Clarke. Nice blue-collar team. Workmanlike. Fierce.

The new bunch are also (or rather 'were also') to my liking, if a little old. Particularly Joe Nieuwendyk and Brian Leetch. but nopw what are they left with after Sundin/McCabe/Belfour?

Darcy Tucker?

Tie Domi?

Bleah.

I also like their coach, Pat Quinn...he took Vancouver to the Stanley Cup finals when he was here

 

[Lefferts]

I think he will, short term at the box office if nothing else. I wonder if he will help attract other top tier players to Pittsburgh? Rumor is that Kovalev will be coming back to the team. A potential power play of Lemieux, Crosby and Recchi, with Kovalev on the point is pretty exciting.

Add in Gonchar to that powerplay. Excellent offensive defensman, but I don't know about $25 million for 5 years. Seems a bit much to me.

 

[devilbat]

OK, so Pittsburgh signs Gonchar for 5 Million per season. I agree with Lefferts, thats too much for a defenseman that doesn't play defense. Kovalev re-signs in Montreal, so there ends those rumors.

Markus Naslund officially re-signs with the Cunucks. A collective sigh of relief goes over the west coast of Canada. I have to believe that Naslund re-signing helps in keeping Bertuzzi in Vancouver. Sopel gets sent to the Island. One more of the leagues worst hair styles leaving Canada. I hope mullets are cool in Long Island.

Teflon Billy, could you elaborate on the rumors of Bertuzzi wanting to leave. We outside of Vancouver have heard very little of the reasons why, outside of "he would like a fresh, new start".

Oilers trade for Pronger. Wow, I love the new NHL, where anyone can sign anybody. Why would they trade Brewer though. I hate to say it, but St Louis gets a better long term package.

Flames re-sign Iggy and bring in Amonte. Nice to be a Flames fan today.

Leetch goes to Boston, nice move Sinden, even better since it's only a one year deal.

 

[Lefferts]

Just heard on Philadelphia radio that the Flyers have signed Peter Forsberg. To make room under the salary cap, Jeremy Roenick is being traded to the Kings. They had JR on the radio and he talked around it a bit, but seemed to confirm both the signing and the trade.

If Forsberg gets around $6.5 to $7 million, I think the Flyers will have to dump some more salary, especially after yesterdays signings of Hatcher, Rathje, and Therien.

Forsberg's only about 10 years late (the Flyers were the team that drafted him and stupidly included him in the Lindros trade.)

Can anyone tell that I am a Flyers fan?

 

[devilbat]

Can anyone tell that I am a Flyers fan?

The Flyers are setting themselves up to be great. BUT, as always, the goaltending is suspect. If Robert Esche plays the way he did last year, the team is a Stanley Cup contender. If he falters, so goes the team.

 

[Teflon Billy]

The Flyers are setting themselves up to be great. BUT, as always, the goaltending is suspect. If Robert Esche plays the way he did last year, the team is a Stanley Cup contender. If he falters, so goes the team.

I thought Esche proved himself in international play. He looked like the real deal.

 

[Teflon Billy]

...Teflon Billy, could you elaborate on the rumors of Bertuzzi wanting to leave. We outside of Vancouver have heard very little of the reasons why, outside of "he would like a fresh, new start"...

Well, honestly, you've "officially" heard about as much as we have.

But Bertuzzi has some real personality conflict with our wildly popular coach, is not the biggest fan of doing "community stuff" (which, under GM Brian Burke's watch, you damn well did or you got driven to the airport), didn't like the idea of playing without Naslund and was really insulted during his first serious negotiation by a lot of the stuff the other side said to drive his price down.

The locals love the guy though.