NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

devilbat said:
Vignault did a great job down here with the Cunucks farm team, but I don't think his schtick will fly with the big boys. It didn't seem to work for him in Montreal.
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What is his schtick?

As for the trade, I think it's great for the Cunucks. Especially so if they can re-sign Luongo. Allen was a tough loss, but Auld, IMHO, sucks.
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I was a little shcoked to see Allen go, until I realized that the defenceman we got back was of comparable quality.

I thought Auld was allright (and was miles away from Sucking), but choosing between him and Luongo is not exactly difficult.

I was a fan of Bertuzzi, but many hometown Cunucks fans told me that he has far more "off" games, then "on" games in the last two seasons. Couple that with the incident, and a fresh start was needed for the big winger.
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Yeah, I love the guy when he's got his head in the game. But over the past two years he has managed that less and less.

I knew he was leaving, I just never dreamed we were going to get someone as good as Luongo for him.
 

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Canadiens re-sign Huet to a 2-year deal
Canadian Press
6/26/2006 12:08:42 PM

MONTREAL (CP) - Cristobal Huet wanted the Canadiens and Montreal wanted him, so the French goalkeeper signed a two-year, $5.75-million US deal to remain with the NHL club.

Huet is scheduled to earn $3 million this season and $2.75 million in 2007-'08. Huet, who earned $456,000 last season, gave up a chance at unrestricted free agency to return to the site of his breakthrough 2005-'06 campaign.

"I never hid the fact that coming back to Montreal was a priority," Huet said during a conference call Monday from his home in Grenoble, France. "And the fact that they were interested in having me was a big factor.

"The organization is great. I know what to expect and the team is good and getting better every year. That was important for me in re-signing with Montreal. I saw no reason to look anywhere else."

Huet posted an 18-11-4 record with seven shutouts, a 2.20 goals-against average and a league-best .929 save percentage in 36 regular-season games.

More importantly, he resolved a disastrous situation in goal in mid-season when former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Jose Theodore struggled and the team was falling out of the NHL Eastern Conference playoff race.

Huet's solid play allowed the Canadiens to claim seventh place and take eventual Stanley Cup-champion Carolina to six games in the first round.

It also allowed general manager Bob Gainey to trade Theodore and his hefty contract to the Colorado Avalanche for goalie David Aebischer, a restricted free agent who will be given a qualifying offer to stay in Montreal.

"We were hoping to get Cristobal signed," said Gainey. "We had a good start to our relationship last year and I think it can continue and grow."

The signing left Aebischer's status in doubt.

The Swiss goalie, who earned $1.9 million last season, was relegated to backup status by Huet. The Canadiens also have Yann Danis, who may be ready to move up from AHL Hamilton.

Gainey did not rule out trying to trade Aebischer.

"Anything's possible," said Gainey. "We feel that Yann Danis is best served continuing his development, whether it's in Hamilton or as a part-time player in Montreal.

"Cristobal won the position of starting goaltender for the important games at the end of the season and in the playoffs. It's uncertain what our team will look like in September - in goal or at other positions."

Huet showed he could perform under the pressure of the postseason by registering a 2.33 GAA and a .929 save percentage.

He was acquired, along with centre Radek Bonk, from the Los Angeles Kings in 2004 for goalie Mathieu Garon and a third-round draft pick.

The signing left defenceman Francis Bouillon as Gainey's next priority before unrestricted free agents go on the market Saturday.

Gainey said he will be looking for offensive help, but if Bouillon doesn't sign, he'll also need a defenceman. The stocky Bouillon had a strong 2005-06 season while earning only $600,000.

As usual, Gainey gave no indication of which players he may go after.

"We'll be prepared Saturday to participate in free agency and see who is available," he said. "A lot of teams now have to take the black marker and take Cristobal Huet's name off their lists.

"There will be others who are free agents and we'll see if there are players we can pursue."

Even with Huet off the list, the goaltending situation retains particular interest going into Saturday.

Already, Florida has sent Roberto Luongo to Vancouver and Boston dealt Andrew Raycroft to Toronto. Goalies Marc Denis of Columbus, Martin Biron of Buffalo and Evgeni Nabokov (and his large contract) of San Jose are also believed to be available for a trade.
 

Canucks qualify Luongo; Lupien confident
TSN.ca Staff
6/26/2006 1:43:34 PM

(tsn.ca) - The Canucks have made their first move in negotiations with new goaltender Roberto Luongo Monday, making a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent, and there is more to come according to CKNW 980 AM in Vancouver.

The Canucks qualified Luongo at $3.2 million, which gives the club his rights for the 2006-07 season, but the radio station is also reporting that Luongo's agent, Gilles Lupien, will meet with his client in Montreal this week to discuss the prospects of a long term deal.

Luongo, 27, played 75 games with the Florida Panthers in 2005-06, posting a record of 35-30-9 with a 2.97 GAA and a .914 save percentage. Over his five-year NHL career, Luongo has played a total of 341 games, with a record of 115-168-41, a 2.72 GAA and a .919 save percentage.

Lupien, as you would expect, praised the Canucks today while taking a few pot shots at the Panthers.

"It was completely different," Lupien said after his initial discussion on Friday night with Nonis. "(With the Panthers) it was, 'We want five (years) and shut your mouth.'

"There (in Florida) it was, 'It's five years or we're going to trade you.'"

After Luongo and Lupien refused to sign a long-term pact with Florida, Panthers' GM Mike Keenan stayed true to his word and traded his star goaltender to Vancouver on Friday in a five player swap that sent Todd Bertuzzi south.

Lupien said Luongo did not want to leave his family and friends in Florida, and was "scared" of getting traded. He says they wanted to sign a one-year deal with Florida to give them another season to work out a longer contract with the Panthers.

"We tried and worked very hard at resolving a contract situation with Roberto Luongo," Keenan told the Miami Herald-Sun on Friday after making the big trade. "As an organization, we made a decision we had to move forward and doing so satisfied a lot of the needs that we had."

According to the Miami Herald, Luongo declined several four-year and five-year offers from the Panthers, the last being a four-year deal at $6.25 million per season. The Herald reported that Panthers coach Jacques Martin made a last-ditch presentation to Luongo on Friday, but the goaltender stood his ground, and the trade followed that night.

It's worth noting that Luongo can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2006-07 season, and the Herald suggested Saturday that Luongo's pursuit of a one-year deal from the Panthers might be linked to that factor more than any other.

Lupien's discussion with Nonis this week will test that theory, and Luongo's agent certainly seemed optimistic about talking more with the Canucks.

"It's only a question of numbers," he told CKNW.
 

From Sportsnet.ca

Hockey Hearsay
June 26, 2006

Jackets' GM knows the FA craft
Columbus GM Doug MacLean is known for his proactive approach to team management, accentuated by his post-Draft comments regarding who he is ready to sign this summer.

"I’ve already got a guy that I’m ready to sign early (in July) who’s going to be a depth guy to take Suchy’s place," MacLean told the Post-Dispatch. "I’ve got a guy who’s going to be a more experienced 30-year-old defenseman who’ll come in, and we know he can play at the NHL level."

The defenceman will come via the free-agent market. He will take the place of Radoslav Suchy, who will enter the unrestricted free-agent market when the signing season opens Friday. Last summer MacLean made a FA splash by luring veteran blue liner Adam Foote from the Colorado Avalanche.

According to reports, Columbus goaltender Marc Denis was the Draft Day target of many clubs, including the Tampa Bay Lightning -- who were ready to offer winger Frederik Modin in exchange.

"I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve been getting some calls (about Denis)," MacLean said. "I’ve got a situation where I’ve got a great young goaltender in Pascal Leclaire who has really emerged, but the only thing he hasn’t shown yet is durability. (Denis) is attractive because he has played a ton of games and any time we’ve scored three goals, he’s (virtually) undefeated. He’s interested in doing a new deal. He has to be qualified at $1.65 million. He and his agent, Bob Sauve, have always been very fair to deal with. Yes, his money would make him attractive. There are $5 million goalies out there. Are they better? They’ve been on better teams, but I don’t know that they’re better."

Fading star Guerin up for grabs
Underperforming while collecting a $6.7 million paycheque is the recipe for a buyout in the new NHL -- something the Dallas Stars must address with Bill Guerin before Friday.

The Star-Telegram is reporting the team is looking into buying out Guerin, which would save $4.5 million toward the $44 million cap - and they currently have only about $8 million left with 15 players under contract and free agency ahead.

"It's one of those things that you know affects your life greatly and you try not to think about it," Guerin said. "It goes back and forth - some days I think I'm gone, and the next day I think, well, maybe there's an outside chance."

The main issue surrounding Guerin is how easy will it be to fill his role? Guerin totaled 13 goals and 27 assists in the 2005-06 season. That point total ranked 180th in the NHL. In goals, Guerin ranked 216th. Those numbers should be reachable for a much cheaper free-agent acquisition.

However, remember that Teemu Selanne, also 35, scored 40 goals last season with Anaheim, after an awful pre-lockout year.
 

Senators let Arnason go without offer
Canadian Press
6/26/2006 2:15:53 PM

OTTAWA (CP) - The Ottawa Senators declined to make a contract qualifying offer to Tyler Arnason before the Monday deadline, making the veteran centre an unrestricted free agent July 1.

Arnason was a flop after being acquired from Chicago for forward Brandon Bochenski last winter. In 19 games, Arnason had no goals and four assists. He was a healthy scratch during the playoffs.

He was being paid $1.2 million US last season, and GM John Muckler said Monday that he couldn't work the American into his budget for next season.

"I still think he's going to play in the NHL and probably get a contract somewhere else," said Muckler. "We asked him if he'd take a reduction in pay and he refused to do that.

"Our assessment was that we could do better in the free agency or trade markets."

Arnason "wasn't in good shape at all" when he reported from the Blackhawks, said Muckler.

Meanwhile, talks continue to retain the services of defencemen Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden, both of whom can become unrestricted free agents July 1.

The Senators' goaltending situation remains unclear. Ray Emery and Dominik Hasek might both be back, said Muckler. Or maybe not.

"I wish I could but it's still not clear," Muckler said when asked if he could clarify things. "We're still exploring all our options."

He was in the Roberto Luongo sweepstakes last weekend.

"I'm not going to comment on the players were offered but we felt it was fair and it was rejected," said Muckler.
 

Knightfall1972 said:
According to reports, Columbus goaltender Marc Denis was the Draft Day target of many clubs, including the Tampa Bay Lightning -- who were ready to offer winger Frederik Modin in exchange.
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Frederik Modin would be an njice pickup for Columbus, particularly if they've got a goalie in the hopper they are comfortable with.
 

Teflon Billy said:
Frederik Modin would be an njice pickup for Columbus, particularly if they've got a goalie in the hopper they are comfortable with.
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Yes, I don't understand why Columbus didn't make that deal. Modin has become a great player since moving to Tampa Bay. He must be a restricted free agent...

BTW, I'm putting together a post of the FA list for the US teams, and I've updated the Canadian team list with the changes that have happened, so far. The US team list will go up today. (Eventually the two lists will get combined, ordered by Division, and alphabetically.)

Cheers!

KF72
 

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