 | Free Agent Signings |
 Canucks add Malhotra - 3 years 7.5
Leafs sign Colby Armstrong - 3 years 9 million
Tanguay signs with Calgary
Canadiens add Alex Auld - 1 year 1 million
Phoenix signs Ray Whitney
Hamhuis to Vancouver - 6 years - 4.5 per season
Jokinen to Calgary - 2 years 3 per year
Volchenkov to NJ - 6 years 4.25 per season
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| "Free Agent Signings" | Login/Create an Account | 21 comments |
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by Bure96 on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Really like the Manny Malhotra signing. He can play any forward position on the third line, but is nice insurance in case Hodgson doesn't make the team this year. |
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by Bure96 on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | | CANUCKS SIGN DAN HAMHUIS !!!!!!!!!! 6 years, 4.5 per year. Wow thats a steal, considering what some of the other guys signed for. |
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by HABSSTAR (loserleafs@hotmail.com) on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | | What the hell is Sutter doing? Has he lost his mind? |
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by Leafland on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | Canucks add Malhotra - 3 years 7.5: Nice depth move, Malhotra's a good face off man, can chip in a few goals, solid pickupfor Vancouver from a lineup depth perspective.
Leafs sign Colby Armstrong - 3 years 9 million: Very good signing by Burke. Money's little higher than I'd like, which could drive up the asking price from Kulemin, but I can picture those 2 on either wing of the same line. Scary stuff.
Tanguay signs with Calgary: Don't really understand this one. Tanguay was with Calgary before and it didn't work out. Not sure where Sutter's head is at.
Canadiens add Alex Auld - 1 year 1 million: This is actually a very solid move for the Canadiens. If Price can regain his starting form, Auld will prove a very capable backup.
Phoenix signs Ray Whitney: Solid signing, should fit in nicely.
Hamhuis to Vancouver - 6 years - 4.5 per season: Good signing for the 'Nucks. Makes their defence instantly better.
Jokinen to Calgary - 2 years 3 per year: Another confusing signing by Sutter. From the trade deadline on, Calgary's moves have been very confusing and don't seem to have any defined direction or goal.
Volchenkov to NJ - 6 years 4.25 per season: Won't bring the offence that was lost with the departure of Martin, but he'll make an already solid defensive squad even more frustrating to play against.
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by FlamingHomer on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | I think I'll start a "Who will be Calgary's next GM?" thread right now.
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by frankinboltonleafs on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Am I alone in thinking that Hamhuis deal is way outta wack? Solid guy but numbers wise...holy shmoly...that's serious coin for a guy who got +30 pts once I think? Of course my Leafs signed Komisarek for similiar...maybe less time though. |
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by LeafsneedSteen on Thursday, July 01
(User Info | Send a Message) | Getting Armstrong is a lateral move from my perspective when we need a face lift. I'm indifferent about this signing.
Vancouver is the winner of the last week, Ballard and Hamhuis are a necessary upgrade.
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by Tachmo on Friday, July 02
(User Info | Send a Message) | The money flying around for these dman today was ridiculous. I think the media hyped these guys up too much. Hamhuis, was huge dollars and 6 years to boot. Michalek, 5 million?
As a Boston fan, I am sure glad they locked up Seidenberg for 3.25 million per. Not a household name, but a very solid defender and shot blocker with above average offensive instincts. Not anoffensive dynamo, but capable of 40 points. |
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by DannyLeafs (dude@dudemail.com) on Friday, July 02
(User Info | Send a Message) | Considering this years crop of free agents and the fact that the biggest name didn't move today, it was still a pretty interesting day.
I think Armstrong was a good pick up for the leafs, and the Versteeg trade was a great move. The Leafs were an ok 5 on 5 team last season, but there special teams is what hurt them the most. They definitely addressed some penalty killing issues with their accquistions, as well as their 5 on 5 play. This is a good strategy since it seems there is a higher correlation to good PK and winning than there is to good PP and winning. The only two teams in the top 12 in PK last year to not make the playoffs were the Rangers and Blues. Both teams were competitive and finished just out of the playoffs, so its definitely a step in the right direction. The Leafs misses, in my opinion were Hamhuis and Foster. Burke reportedly had interest in Hamhuis, and although they are set on defense, I think his addition would have been a smart move. There are many teams looking for top four help, and if the Leafs have the best expendable assets in this area they would have been in a great position to make trades. I also think they really should have taken a shot at Foster. He signed in Edmonton for 1.8 per for two years. For a Right handed D man coming off a 41 point season and a team that had the leagues worst powerplay, I think this should have been a solid low risk move to help in that area.
I think Ottawa made itself better in the short run, but they are really relying heavily on some older players. Alfredsson, Gonchar, and Kovalev, all have plenty of skill, but 15+ million is a lot of money to have tied up in 3 guys over the age of 36. Also, it is a gamble as they are really depending on them to continue at their current production and stay healthy in order to be competitive. I think the team could be better in the short run, but injuries and age are likely to catch up with their aging core.
Montreal didn't do much, as expected since they have most of their pieces in place and no cap space to speak of. I am not sure I agree with Gautier' strategy, but I guess there isn't much he can do about it now. On paper the team is not as good as the one that barely made the playoffs last year. It is possible that some health and good luck along with some good chemistry from keeping the group together could allow the team to improve, but realistically the team was absolutely awful last year in the games they played without Halak, so it isn't really the safest bet in the world to assume they will be better this year without him.
Vancouver was the biggest winner on day one of free agency in that they got the most sought after player available, and that they addressed their major needs. They wanted to be better defensively, improve on their horrendous penalty killing which basically is what eliminated them for the playoffs, and add a puck moving presence on the back end. They did all of this by getting Hamhuis and Malhotra under contract yesterday, and could very well be poised to take a run at it this year. They have improved while their biggest rivals (the Hawks) have taken obvious steps back.
Edmonton has cleared some cap space, and as expected didn't make any big splashes. I think Kurtis Foster was a good accquisiton, but I thought it somewhat puzzling that a team that is probably still a couple years away from being a contender signed a player to a two year contract. It can't hurt, and I guess it was in order to fill a top four position with as little money as possible, but I thought it was a little strange.
Calgary decided after a season where they tried to make big changes that they would go back to what already didn't work. Tanguay was a strange signing, but he could be a great value at 1.7 million, signing yet another number 2 center? that really doesn't make any sense what so ever. Especially when that center is a player they basically traded for a cap burden. I really don't get it. They took on a negative value to move Jokinen
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Re: Free Agent Signings (Score: 1)
by LeafsneedSteen on Friday, July 02
(User Info | Send a Message) | Sigh... Kulemin re-uped, more status quo
http://twitter.com/darrendreger
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