NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)
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Knightfall
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Bruins sign Hobey finalist Trevelyan
Associated Press
8/28/2006 2:12:02 PM
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Bruins signed Hobey Baker finalist T.J. Trevelyan to a multiyear contract.
The 22-year-old Trevelyan played the last four seasons at St. Lawrence University. He had 78 goals and 76 assists for 154 points and 204 penalty minutes in 150 college games.
The five-foot-10, 170-pound native of Mississauga, Ont., was one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, which recognizes the top U.S. college player.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed Monday by the Bruins.
Associated Press
8/28/2006 2:12:02 PM
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Bruins signed Hobey Baker finalist T.J. Trevelyan to a multiyear contract.
The 22-year-old Trevelyan played the last four seasons at St. Lawrence University. He had 78 goals and 76 assists for 154 points and 204 penalty minutes in 150 college games.
The five-foot-10, 170-pound native of Mississauga, Ont., was one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, which recognizes the top U.S. college player.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed Monday by the Bruins.
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Toby Petersen and Tim Sestito sign
Edmonton Oilers Press Release
Aug. 28, 2006 at 11:55 AM MDT
The Edmonton Oilers have signed centre Toby Petersen to a one-year contract and left winger Tim Sestito to a two-year entry-level contract.
Petersen enters his third season with the Oilers’ organization and is coming off a 2005-06 season that saw him lead the Iowa Stars in scoring and finish 16th in the American Hockey League scoring race with a career-high 73 points. The 5’10”, 197-pound native of Minneapolis, Minnesota scored 26 goals and a career-high 47 assists in 79 games with Iowa. He added 2-4-6 in seven Calder Cup playoff games.
Following Iowa’s elimination from the AHL playoffs, the 27-year-old forward joined the Oilers for their Stanley Cup playoff run and scored a goal in two playoff game appearances. He netted his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal in his second game, scoring the opening goal in Edmonton’s 5-4 win over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final at Rexall Place on May 23rd.
Now in his seventh pro season, Petersen, who originally signed as a free agent with the Oilers on July 30, 2004, has scored 10-16-26 with 8 PIM in 91 career NHL games.
The 6’0”, 195-pound Sestito scored 21-23-44 with 127 penalty minutes in 72 games with the ECHL’s Greenville Grrrowl last season. The 22-year-old native of Rome, New York finished 10th on the Greenville scoring list and was fifth in goals and third in penalty minutes.
Sestito played four seasons with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL between 2001-02 and 2004-05, scoring 45-56-101 with 250 PIM in 236 career games. Following his final season of junior hockey, he played nine regular season games with Bridgeport of the AHL, scoring 2-1-3 with 12 PIM for the Sound Tigers.
Both Petersen and Sestito will join the Oilers for their 2006-07 Training Camp in Grande Prairie, Alberta on September 14th.
Edmonton Oilers Press Release
Aug. 28, 2006 at 11:55 AM MDT
The Edmonton Oilers have signed centre Toby Petersen to a one-year contract and left winger Tim Sestito to a two-year entry-level contract.
Petersen enters his third season with the Oilers’ organization and is coming off a 2005-06 season that saw him lead the Iowa Stars in scoring and finish 16th in the American Hockey League scoring race with a career-high 73 points. The 5’10”, 197-pound native of Minneapolis, Minnesota scored 26 goals and a career-high 47 assists in 79 games with Iowa. He added 2-4-6 in seven Calder Cup playoff games.
Following Iowa’s elimination from the AHL playoffs, the 27-year-old forward joined the Oilers for their Stanley Cup playoff run and scored a goal in two playoff game appearances. He netted his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal in his second game, scoring the opening goal in Edmonton’s 5-4 win over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final at Rexall Place on May 23rd.
Now in his seventh pro season, Petersen, who originally signed as a free agent with the Oilers on July 30, 2004, has scored 10-16-26 with 8 PIM in 91 career NHL games.
The 6’0”, 195-pound Sestito scored 21-23-44 with 127 penalty minutes in 72 games with the ECHL’s Greenville Grrrowl last season. The 22-year-old native of Rome, New York finished 10th on the Greenville scoring list and was fifth in goals and third in penalty minutes.
Sestito played four seasons with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL between 2001-02 and 2004-05, scoring 45-56-101 with 250 PIM in 236 career games. Following his final season of junior hockey, he played nine regular season games with Bridgeport of the AHL, scoring 2-1-3 with 12 PIM for the Sound Tigers.
Both Petersen and Sestito will join the Oilers for their 2006-07 Training Camp in Grande Prairie, Alberta on September 14th.
Knightfall
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New rivalry begins in SoCal
Canadian Press
8/29/2006 9:54:13 AM
Hockey's Southern California rivalry took on a new twist when Marc Crawford was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings.
With Brian Burke running the rival Anaheim Ducks, the other club battling for the hockey dollar in La-La Land, it didn't take long for Crawford to hear from his former Vancouver Canucks boss after the Kings hired him.
"He left me a couple of funny voice mail messages and probably a few that we can't share," Crawford said with a laugh.
Burke was happy to elaborate.
"It was my hope that Marc Crawford would end up in the Eastern Conference," he said Monday from his Anaheim office. "That's the respect I have for him. And that voice mail he's talking about, I just told him that we're dear friends, our wives are dear friends, but we're competing now. And we might have to overlook some things that are said and done this season.
"I can see us going after each other in the hallways," added Burke. "That's how intense we both are. So I just said let's make sure our friendship gets through this."
Crawford's family of four moved to Los Angeles two weeks ago. That's when it really hit home for the 45-year-old native of Belleville, Ont. He'll be coaching in Hollywood this year after seven seasons behind the Canucks bench.
"It hits home just because of all the personal stuff that you end up doing when you have a change like this," said Crawford. "Moving is such a big thing.
"It's been a busy summer to say the least."
Crawford, 16th all-time on the NHL coaching ranks with 411 regular-season wins, drew attention from several other clubs but settled on the Kings. They intrigued him.
"I look at the challenge here in L.A.," he said. "I know that if we can win here and do the right things, it isn't only going to be great for the Los Angeles Kings but on a greater plane it's great for hockey and great for the National Hockey League and that interested me as well."
The Kings have been all about change. Head coach Andy Murray was the first to bite the bullet late in the season, their third straight out of the playoffs. GM Dave Taylor got the axe after the season ended, replaced by Dean Lombardi. Since then other front-office faces have come and gone as well as players. And of course Lombardi introduced Crawford on May 22.
Few clubs in the NHL have had more of a face lift.
"We looked at a team picture the other day that was done at the end of the year," said Crawford, who coached Colorado to a Stanley Cup in 1996. "We started counting guys that weren't here now, including front office and players. There were over 25 that aren't going to be here this year. So that means there's at least 25 to 30 new people. That's going to be the biggest adjustment for our team, just getting used to new surroundings and the new way we're going to do things."
The newcomers on the ice include forwards Alyn McCauley, Patrick O'Sullivan, Scott Thornton and Brian Willsie, star defenceman Rob Blake and goalie Dan Cloutier. Gone are forward Pavol Demitra, Mark Parrish and Jeremy Roenick as well as defenceman Joe Corvo.
One face that isn't new to the Kings is perennial bad boy Sean Avery, who was sent home by the team before the final three games last following an argument with an assistant coach. That capped an eventful year for the 26-year-old, who had 15 goals and 24 assists as well as 247 penalty minutes in 75 games.
He made headlines in April with an obscenity-laced tirade at Brian Hayward, the Ducks' television commentator. During a game against Edmonton in October, the Oilers' Georges Laraque, who is black, accused Avery of using a racial slur. Avery denied the allegation.
Last September, Avery made derogatory comments about French-Canadian players after then-Coyote defenceman Denis Gauthier hit Roenick in an exhibition game. Avery issued an apology after receiving a reprimand from the NHL.
The Kings re-signed Avery to a $1.1-million US, one-year deal.
"I've already had a couple of meetings with Sean. They've been pretty fruitful. But like Dean said, we've got him on double-secret probation," Crawford said with a laugh, citing a line from Animal House.
"But that's exactly what it is, we're kind of feeling it out. Everybody wants to get the most out of Sean. He's a very good player. He's got to be a great teammate. That's where the improvement has to be. It all comes down to being respectful of your teammates, being respectful of the league, being respectful of the referees, showing respect to the game."
Cloutier is looking for respect after the Canucks decided Roberto Luongo was a huge upgrade over him in goal. Crawford still believes in his former Vancouver goalie and that's why Lombardi went out and acquired him.
"I am very much a Dan Cloutier guy," said Crawford. "And I know there's a lot of criticism of Dan. The one valid criticism people can have of Dan is that he has been injured. We know that the injuries haven't been preventable.
"He broke his ankle in the playoffs against Calgary trying to make a game-saving save in Game 3. And his injury with knee last year he got crashed into by Rob Niedermayer. Those things are going to happen."
Crawford and Cloutier were together for five seasons in Vancouver and the coach still believes in the 30-year-old, who missed all but 13 games last year with a knee injury.
"I know how hard he works," said Crawford. "Those things are very attractive to me as a coach and also to our organization. The other thing I'll say about Dan is that he's a leader. If you can get a guy with leadership qualities in the goaltending position, that's so crucial.
"I saw it first-hand with Patrick (Roy). Whether you like him or you don't like him. Patrick demanded things of his teammates that made them all better. And I think Dan is very much like that."
Mathieu Garon was the starting goalie for most of last season in L.A., winning 31 games. But Crawford says Cloutier gets the nod as No. 1.
"Dan's going to play a little more than Mathieu but it may be 1a and 1b and a half," said Crawford. "Garon is a great goalie, too, and the real bonus in all this is that we've got a guy who's sitting there behind Dan who has won 30 games.
"We've got so many games out here where you're playing fatigued. Those third in four nights with travel, those back-to-backs with Dallas which is crazy because of the travel. We're going to be able to put in a goaltender that can win a game in the second night and that will hopefully allow us to get a few extra points."
Crawford's return to Vancouver, meanwhile, will be one of the bigger stories of the season but it'll have to wait until Jan. 26, the first game back from the all-star break.
"I get to spend the whole all-star break in there pondering ways to beat those guys," Crawford said with a chuckle. "But seriously, I'm very fond of the people in Vancouver. They treated me with class and dignity. We've got great friendships there.
"One of the reasons I chose to come to Los Angeles, for me selfishly, it allowed us to keep our ties with the West Coast where we've got so many friends now. It's not a hard commute to Vancouver."
Canadian Press
8/29/2006 9:54:13 AM
Hockey's Southern California rivalry took on a new twist when Marc Crawford was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings.
With Brian Burke running the rival Anaheim Ducks, the other club battling for the hockey dollar in La-La Land, it didn't take long for Crawford to hear from his former Vancouver Canucks boss after the Kings hired him.
"He left me a couple of funny voice mail messages and probably a few that we can't share," Crawford said with a laugh.
Burke was happy to elaborate.
"It was my hope that Marc Crawford would end up in the Eastern Conference," he said Monday from his Anaheim office. "That's the respect I have for him. And that voice mail he's talking about, I just told him that we're dear friends, our wives are dear friends, but we're competing now. And we might have to overlook some things that are said and done this season.
"I can see us going after each other in the hallways," added Burke. "That's how intense we both are. So I just said let's make sure our friendship gets through this."
Crawford's family of four moved to Los Angeles two weeks ago. That's when it really hit home for the 45-year-old native of Belleville, Ont. He'll be coaching in Hollywood this year after seven seasons behind the Canucks bench.
"It hits home just because of all the personal stuff that you end up doing when you have a change like this," said Crawford. "Moving is such a big thing.
"It's been a busy summer to say the least."
Crawford, 16th all-time on the NHL coaching ranks with 411 regular-season wins, drew attention from several other clubs but settled on the Kings. They intrigued him.
"I look at the challenge here in L.A.," he said. "I know that if we can win here and do the right things, it isn't only going to be great for the Los Angeles Kings but on a greater plane it's great for hockey and great for the National Hockey League and that interested me as well."
The Kings have been all about change. Head coach Andy Murray was the first to bite the bullet late in the season, their third straight out of the playoffs. GM Dave Taylor got the axe after the season ended, replaced by Dean Lombardi. Since then other front-office faces have come and gone as well as players. And of course Lombardi introduced Crawford on May 22.
Few clubs in the NHL have had more of a face lift.
"We looked at a team picture the other day that was done at the end of the year," said Crawford, who coached Colorado to a Stanley Cup in 1996. "We started counting guys that weren't here now, including front office and players. There were over 25 that aren't going to be here this year. So that means there's at least 25 to 30 new people. That's going to be the biggest adjustment for our team, just getting used to new surroundings and the new way we're going to do things."
The newcomers on the ice include forwards Alyn McCauley, Patrick O'Sullivan, Scott Thornton and Brian Willsie, star defenceman Rob Blake and goalie Dan Cloutier. Gone are forward Pavol Demitra, Mark Parrish and Jeremy Roenick as well as defenceman Joe Corvo.
One face that isn't new to the Kings is perennial bad boy Sean Avery, who was sent home by the team before the final three games last following an argument with an assistant coach. That capped an eventful year for the 26-year-old, who had 15 goals and 24 assists as well as 247 penalty minutes in 75 games.
He made headlines in April with an obscenity-laced tirade at Brian Hayward, the Ducks' television commentator. During a game against Edmonton in October, the Oilers' Georges Laraque, who is black, accused Avery of using a racial slur. Avery denied the allegation.
Last September, Avery made derogatory comments about French-Canadian players after then-Coyote defenceman Denis Gauthier hit Roenick in an exhibition game. Avery issued an apology after receiving a reprimand from the NHL.
The Kings re-signed Avery to a $1.1-million US, one-year deal.
"I've already had a couple of meetings with Sean. They've been pretty fruitful. But like Dean said, we've got him on double-secret probation," Crawford said with a laugh, citing a line from Animal House.
"But that's exactly what it is, we're kind of feeling it out. Everybody wants to get the most out of Sean. He's a very good player. He's got to be a great teammate. That's where the improvement has to be. It all comes down to being respectful of your teammates, being respectful of the league, being respectful of the referees, showing respect to the game."
Cloutier is looking for respect after the Canucks decided Roberto Luongo was a huge upgrade over him in goal. Crawford still believes in his former Vancouver goalie and that's why Lombardi went out and acquired him.
"I am very much a Dan Cloutier guy," said Crawford. "And I know there's a lot of criticism of Dan. The one valid criticism people can have of Dan is that he has been injured. We know that the injuries haven't been preventable.
"He broke his ankle in the playoffs against Calgary trying to make a game-saving save in Game 3. And his injury with knee last year he got crashed into by Rob Niedermayer. Those things are going to happen."
Crawford and Cloutier were together for five seasons in Vancouver and the coach still believes in the 30-year-old, who missed all but 13 games last year with a knee injury.
"I know how hard he works," said Crawford. "Those things are very attractive to me as a coach and also to our organization. The other thing I'll say about Dan is that he's a leader. If you can get a guy with leadership qualities in the goaltending position, that's so crucial.
"I saw it first-hand with Patrick (Roy). Whether you like him or you don't like him. Patrick demanded things of his teammates that made them all better. And I think Dan is very much like that."
Mathieu Garon was the starting goalie for most of last season in L.A., winning 31 games. But Crawford says Cloutier gets the nod as No. 1.
"Dan's going to play a little more than Mathieu but it may be 1a and 1b and a half," said Crawford. "Garon is a great goalie, too, and the real bonus in all this is that we've got a guy who's sitting there behind Dan who has won 30 games.
"We've got so many games out here where you're playing fatigued. Those third in four nights with travel, those back-to-backs with Dallas which is crazy because of the travel. We're going to be able to put in a goaltender that can win a game in the second night and that will hopefully allow us to get a few extra points."
Crawford's return to Vancouver, meanwhile, will be one of the bigger stories of the season but it'll have to wait until Jan. 26, the first game back from the all-star break.
"I get to spend the whole all-star break in there pondering ways to beat those guys," Crawford said with a chuckle. "But seriously, I'm very fond of the people in Vancouver. They treated me with class and dignity. We've got great friendships there.
"One of the reasons I chose to come to Los Angeles, for me selfishly, it allowed us to keep our ties with the West Coast where we've got so many friends now. It's not a hard commute to Vancouver."
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Report: Connolly still feeling effects
TSN.ca Staff
8/29/2006 10:30:59 AM
A report in the Buffalo news indicates that Sabres centre Tim Connolly, who has been plagued by concussion problems in his young career, is not likely to be ready to start training camp this season due to his latest concussion.
Connolly suffered the concussion on May 8, when Ottawa Senators winger Peter Schaefer caught him with an open-ice hit, and Sabres general manager Darcy Regier told the paper that Connolly may not be cleared to participate in time for the start of camp.
"It would be great if he was, but we realize it's a possibility he may not be ready for camp," said Regier, "It's possible. We're not ruling it out, but it really is one of those things that we'll monitor, and we'll just move along as time moves along."
Connolly missed the entire 2003-2004 season with a concussion, but returned to action last year and scored a number of highlight-reel goals on his way to accumulating 55 points in 63 games.
The Sabres re-signed Connolly to a three-year, $8.7-million deal in July, apparently aware of the possibility that Connolly might not be ready for the start of this season.
At this point, though, the Sabres are just hoping for Connolly to be symptom-free before attempting to get back on the ice.
"He's not doing anything as far as working out or on-ice," Regier told the Buffalo News. "It's across the board. They want to make sure he's totally symptom-free before they get him exercising again."
The 25 year-old pivot has recorded 200 points in 388 career games, and added 11 points in eight playoff games last spring before getting injured.
The Sabres have already been thinned out up front this summer, with Mike Grier leaving as a free agent, Taylor Pyatt getting traded to Vancouver and J.P. Dumont on the open market after the Sabres walked away from his arbitration award.
With so many departures, it will leave spots open for young players like Derek Roy and Jason Pominville to take on greater roles, while Drew Stafford and Jiri Novotny could be among the newcomers to crack the Sabres forward ranks.
TSN.ca Staff
8/29/2006 10:30:59 AM
A report in the Buffalo news indicates that Sabres centre Tim Connolly, who has been plagued by concussion problems in his young career, is not likely to be ready to start training camp this season due to his latest concussion.
Connolly suffered the concussion on May 8, when Ottawa Senators winger Peter Schaefer caught him with an open-ice hit, and Sabres general manager Darcy Regier told the paper that Connolly may not be cleared to participate in time for the start of camp.
"It would be great if he was, but we realize it's a possibility he may not be ready for camp," said Regier, "It's possible. We're not ruling it out, but it really is one of those things that we'll monitor, and we'll just move along as time moves along."
Connolly missed the entire 2003-2004 season with a concussion, but returned to action last year and scored a number of highlight-reel goals on his way to accumulating 55 points in 63 games.
The Sabres re-signed Connolly to a three-year, $8.7-million deal in July, apparently aware of the possibility that Connolly might not be ready for the start of this season.
At this point, though, the Sabres are just hoping for Connolly to be symptom-free before attempting to get back on the ice.
"He's not doing anything as far as working out or on-ice," Regier told the Buffalo News. "It's across the board. They want to make sure he's totally symptom-free before they get him exercising again."
The 25 year-old pivot has recorded 200 points in 388 career games, and added 11 points in eight playoff games last spring before getting injured.
The Sabres have already been thinned out up front this summer, with Mike Grier leaving as a free agent, Taylor Pyatt getting traded to Vancouver and J.P. Dumont on the open market after the Sabres walked away from his arbitration award.
With so many departures, it will leave spots open for young players like Derek Roy and Jason Pominville to take on greater roles, while Drew Stafford and Jiri Novotny could be among the newcomers to crack the Sabres forward ranks.
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Dumont to sign with Predators
TSN.ca Staff
8/29/2006 11:44:26 AM
J.P. Dumont will be skating for the Nashville Predators this coming season.
He has agreed to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million. He will be paid $2-million the first year and $2.5-million in the second.
The 28-year-old forward became an unrestricted free agent in early August when the Buffalo Sabres walked away from an arbitration ruling awarding him a one-year $2.9 million contract.
The Montreal native scored 20 goals and added 20 assists over 54 games with Buffalo last season. He has 121 goals and 256 points in 434 games over his career with Chicago and Buffalo.
The official announcement is expected this afternoon.
TSN.ca Staff
8/29/2006 11:44:26 AM
J.P. Dumont will be skating for the Nashville Predators this coming season.
He has agreed to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million. He will be paid $2-million the first year and $2.5-million in the second.
The 28-year-old forward became an unrestricted free agent in early August when the Buffalo Sabres walked away from an arbitration ruling awarding him a one-year $2.9 million contract.
The Montreal native scored 20 goals and added 20 assists over 54 games with Buffalo last season. He has 121 goals and 256 points in 434 games over his career with Chicago and Buffalo.
The official announcement is expected this afternoon.
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Hurricanes sign defenceman Tanabe
TSN.ca Staff
8/29/2006 2:36:29 PM
The Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes have dipped into their past and have signed free agent defenseman David Tanabe to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
Sources tell TSN Tanabe spent last Friday meeting with Hurricanes management and worked out for the club in an effort to prove some of the injury issues the 26 year old has struggled with are behind him.
Tanabe scored 20 points in 75 games, posting a minus-5 rating, with Phoenix and Boston in 2005-2006. He has 94 points in 374 career games.
Drafted 16th overall by Carolina in 1999, Tanabe won a $1.2-million award in arbitration but the Bruins walked away from the award, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Carolina is also believed to be inching towards signing free agent forward Brad Isbister.
Providing the two sides can come to terms, Isbister will help fill the void left by the absence of Cory Stillman. Stillman underwent shoulder surgery on Friday and is expected to miss up to 35 games to start the season.
TSN.ca Staff
8/29/2006 2:36:29 PM
The Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes have dipped into their past and have signed free agent defenseman David Tanabe to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
Sources tell TSN Tanabe spent last Friday meeting with Hurricanes management and worked out for the club in an effort to prove some of the injury issues the 26 year old has struggled with are behind him.
Tanabe scored 20 points in 75 games, posting a minus-5 rating, with Phoenix and Boston in 2005-2006. He has 94 points in 374 career games.
Drafted 16th overall by Carolina in 1999, Tanabe won a $1.2-million award in arbitration but the Bruins walked away from the award, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Carolina is also believed to be inching towards signing free agent forward Brad Isbister.
Providing the two sides can come to terms, Isbister will help fill the void left by the absence of Cory Stillman. Stillman underwent shoulder surgery on Friday and is expected to miss up to 35 games to start the season.
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World of Kulan DM
Ducks eying a run at the Stanley Cup
Canadian Press
8/29/2006 4:37:01 PM
The Anaheim Ducks are primed for a run at the Stanley Cup this season, a young and talented roster seasoned by last year's run to the Western Conference final.
Oh, and it's a club that's added superstar defenceman Chris Pronger.
"I know it's fashionable in our line of work to downplay your chances going into a season because all your planning is still just on paper," says Ducks GM Brian Burke. "Until we drop the puck it's guesswork. But we have to accept the fact that expectations have risen. Not only because our team overachieved last year but also because we added a big piece. And we are being picked by some to win the West, being picked to go to the Cup final, being picked to do this and being picked to do that.
"Good organizations, as their teams get better, manage those expectations. I have high hopes and high expectations as well."
There's apparently a buzz in their market, too. The Ducks are projecting being at 10,500 season tickets by the time the season opens, up from 9,000 at the same time last year.
"When the Samuelis bought the team (in June 2005), that was a big story here, they're highly respected and well-liked Orange County people," Burke said of his owners, Henry and Susan Samueli. "Once Disney got out of the hockey business and they bought the team there was an immediate response."
The key to Anaheim's enhanced Cup chances is the 6-6, 220-pound Pronger, a former Hart and Norris Trophy winner who forced his way out of Edmonton earlier this summer. The Ducks may have two of the three nominees for next year's Norris Trophy voting on their blue-line. It's an embarrassment of riches.
"You could be a GM for 20 years and not have a Chris Pronger on our team," Burke said from his Anaheim office this week. "You could be a GM for 20 years and not have a Scott Niedermayer on your team. The chance to have them both?"
Priceless, as the commercial says. Although in this case the two horses will earn a combined $13 million US, exactly 32.5 per cent of Anaheim's current $40-million cap number heading into the season.
Luckily the Ducks can ride some young and talented forwards once again this season who don't earn a whole lot of money. Ryan Getzlaf ($714,400), Corey Perry ($684,000), Dustin Penner ($450,000), Stanislav Chistov ($800,000,) and Chris Kunitz ($962,500) are all expected to contribute even more this season.
They'll need to after Burke had to give up 22-year-old winger Joffrey Lupul and his 28 goals in the Pronger deal.
"We think we can make up for the offence that we lost with Lups," said Burke. "We're going to have to replace those goals by committee, which means that Penner is going to have to do more, Perry is going to have to do more, Chistov is going to have do more - but we're confident we can do that."
Chistov, 23, is back with the Ducks after playing in Russia the last two years, a nice bonus for Anaheim after losing Lupul, whom many believe has the talent to be a 40- or 50-goal scorer.
"We know Lups is going to bite us right in the butt before his career is over," said Burke. "This is a guy that's going to score big goals against us and make things happen in Edmonton. There will be nights where we'll be saying: `What were we thinking?' But you can't worry about what a guy does when he moves. You have to worry about what you bring back."
Burke may not be done dealing. J.S. Giguere is expendable with last season's emergence of Ilja Bryzgalov. The Russian goalie is a restricted free agent right now but Burke is confident he'll get him signed. With all 30 teams in the league currently set in goal, Giguere won't be going anywhere until a need is created, and he's especially not going anywhere while Bryzgalov remains unsigned.
"Barring aliens landing here, we will start the season with both," said Burke. "We have two goalies who are established, they can both be No. 1 goalies in this league and we'll sort out who it will be."
Giguere has one year left on his deal at $3.99 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. Anaheim joins San Jose, Buffalo, Los Angeles and possibly Montreal as clubs with goalies to spare.
Canadian Press
8/29/2006 4:37:01 PM
The Anaheim Ducks are primed for a run at the Stanley Cup this season, a young and talented roster seasoned by last year's run to the Western Conference final.
Oh, and it's a club that's added superstar defenceman Chris Pronger.
"I know it's fashionable in our line of work to downplay your chances going into a season because all your planning is still just on paper," says Ducks GM Brian Burke. "Until we drop the puck it's guesswork. But we have to accept the fact that expectations have risen. Not only because our team overachieved last year but also because we added a big piece. And we are being picked by some to win the West, being picked to go to the Cup final, being picked to do this and being picked to do that.
"Good organizations, as their teams get better, manage those expectations. I have high hopes and high expectations as well."
There's apparently a buzz in their market, too. The Ducks are projecting being at 10,500 season tickets by the time the season opens, up from 9,000 at the same time last year.
"When the Samuelis bought the team (in June 2005), that was a big story here, they're highly respected and well-liked Orange County people," Burke said of his owners, Henry and Susan Samueli. "Once Disney got out of the hockey business and they bought the team there was an immediate response."
The key to Anaheim's enhanced Cup chances is the 6-6, 220-pound Pronger, a former Hart and Norris Trophy winner who forced his way out of Edmonton earlier this summer. The Ducks may have two of the three nominees for next year's Norris Trophy voting on their blue-line. It's an embarrassment of riches.
"You could be a GM for 20 years and not have a Chris Pronger on our team," Burke said from his Anaheim office this week. "You could be a GM for 20 years and not have a Scott Niedermayer on your team. The chance to have them both?"
Priceless, as the commercial says. Although in this case the two horses will earn a combined $13 million US, exactly 32.5 per cent of Anaheim's current $40-million cap number heading into the season.
Luckily the Ducks can ride some young and talented forwards once again this season who don't earn a whole lot of money. Ryan Getzlaf ($714,400), Corey Perry ($684,000), Dustin Penner ($450,000), Stanislav Chistov ($800,000,) and Chris Kunitz ($962,500) are all expected to contribute even more this season.
They'll need to after Burke had to give up 22-year-old winger Joffrey Lupul and his 28 goals in the Pronger deal.
"We think we can make up for the offence that we lost with Lups," said Burke. "We're going to have to replace those goals by committee, which means that Penner is going to have to do more, Perry is going to have to do more, Chistov is going to have do more - but we're confident we can do that."
Chistov, 23, is back with the Ducks after playing in Russia the last two years, a nice bonus for Anaheim after losing Lupul, whom many believe has the talent to be a 40- or 50-goal scorer.
"We know Lups is going to bite us right in the butt before his career is over," said Burke. "This is a guy that's going to score big goals against us and make things happen in Edmonton. There will be nights where we'll be saying: `What were we thinking?' But you can't worry about what a guy does when he moves. You have to worry about what you bring back."
Burke may not be done dealing. J.S. Giguere is expendable with last season's emergence of Ilja Bryzgalov. The Russian goalie is a restricted free agent right now but Burke is confident he'll get him signed. With all 30 teams in the league currently set in goal, Giguere won't be going anywhere until a need is created, and he's especially not going anywhere while Bryzgalov remains unsigned.
"Barring aliens landing here, we will start the season with both," said Burke. "We have two goalies who are established, they can both be No. 1 goalies in this league and we'll sort out who it will be."
Giguere has one year left on his deal at $3.99 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. Anaheim joins San Jose, Buffalo, Los Angeles and possibly Montreal as clubs with goalies to spare.
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Hockey Hearsay
August 29, 2006
Minimum wage for Linden
Trevor Linden will most likely be signed before the start of the season and wearing a Canucks uniform once again. But at 36 years of age, don't expect Vancouver to sign him for more than a one-year, bargain basement price deal.
According to the Vancouver Sun, Linden will sign a one-year deal worth well under $1 million to play again in Lotusland. Linden made $1.52 million last season.
Vancouver's all-time leading scorer, Linden is coming off a season where he scored only seven goals. Although one of the most veteran players on the Canucks, Linden believes his role as a leader won't be as necessary for this squad.
"I'll do what I'm asked to do but I think, if anything, I might play a lesser role," Linden told the Sun. "I look at guys like Daniel and Henrik [Sedin], who are 26, and I think they're going to take a bigger role. I look at Mattias Ohlund, Brendan Morrison and Matt Cooke, guys who have all been here for a significant amount of time. I think Willie Mitchell is a strong guy in the room as well.
"With the changes we've made, these guys are going to come to the forefront a little bit, and I think that's a good thing."
August 29, 2006
Minimum wage for Linden
Trevor Linden will most likely be signed before the start of the season and wearing a Canucks uniform once again. But at 36 years of age, don't expect Vancouver to sign him for more than a one-year, bargain basement price deal.
According to the Vancouver Sun, Linden will sign a one-year deal worth well under $1 million to play again in Lotusland. Linden made $1.52 million last season.
Vancouver's all-time leading scorer, Linden is coming off a season where he scored only seven goals. Although one of the most veteran players on the Canucks, Linden believes his role as a leader won't be as necessary for this squad.
"I'll do what I'm asked to do but I think, if anything, I might play a lesser role," Linden told the Sun. "I look at guys like Daniel and Henrik [Sedin], who are 26, and I think they're going to take a bigger role. I look at Mattias Ohlund, Brendan Morrison and Matt Cooke, guys who have all been here for a significant amount of time. I think Willie Mitchell is a strong guy in the room as well.
"With the changes we've made, these guys are going to come to the forefront a little bit, and I think that's a good thing."
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
'Nucks get Krajicek under contract
Sportsnet.ca
August 29, 2006
The Vancouver Canucks signed defenceman Lukas Krajicek to a one-year deal on Tuesday, according to local radio CKNW 980.
Krajicek, who came to Vancouver in the Bertuzzi/Luongo trade, recorded two goals and 14 assists in 67 games last year in Florida.
The defencmean was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 1st round (24th overall) in 2001. According to scouts, Krajicek has the ability to log loads of ice time when he becomes an NHL regular.
Sportsnet.ca
August 29, 2006
The Vancouver Canucks signed defenceman Lukas Krajicek to a one-year deal on Tuesday, according to local radio CKNW 980.
Krajicek, who came to Vancouver in the Bertuzzi/Luongo trade, recorded two goals and 14 assists in 67 games last year in Florida.
The defencmean was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 1st round (24th overall) in 2001. According to scouts, Krajicek has the ability to log loads of ice time when he becomes an NHL regular.