All-purpose hockey thread...

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

If he became a FA, which teams would be the front runners for Luongo?

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

hockeybeat,

two years is a long time. but these are the teams i think would not be in the market:

rangers: lundqvist
islanders: dipietro (and i dont think luongo would want to go back anyway)
canadiens: theodore (i believe he would be heading into last year of new deal)
hurricanes: ward (im assuming that he'd be legit no. 1 guy by then)
blackhawks: khabibulin (even if he blows chunks, which i dont think will happen, he'll still have two years left at $7 million per)
kings: labarbera/garon

now, i'm taking a leap with rangers/hurricanes/kings -- but that's the fun. what is also interesting is that it could be the end of the line for great ones like brodeur, or current starters like turco, vokoun and kiprusoff.

95 per cent of the teams in the nhl would want luongo.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Mr Dad,

Using your math and rounding down, it would be only one team that doesn't and that would be the Panthers. I wonder about the Red Wings or if the numbers/contracts can be juggled in the long term, Pittsburgh. They seem like better fits and playing there might look better than Fla once Eddie O cleans out his desk. But this is again senseless rumour-mongering.

YHS, etc

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I would think the Flyers would break the bank to land Luongo.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Mr Beat,

Logic versus History

Logically, Luongo would fit ... therefore he'll never play in Philly because it would be in direct conflict with History. The Flyers never get the right guy in goal--not since Hextall (and his Conn Smythe).

YHS, etc

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Mr. Miler,

Dooley/Duly noted. Roman Cechmanek was supposed to be the heir apparent to Pelle Lindberg. That didn't work out so well for Broad Street's Bad Goaltenders.

On a completely unrelated note, hell just froze over. Jaromir Jagr set up Michael Nylander for a goal. I am going to look outside, completely expecting Neil Smith and Mike Keenan enjoying each other's company.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

See I had heard the preseason rumours linked to his contract and all but they died down after a while. These new rumours are ones that just started coming up again after a couple of months of nothing on that front, so I thought it was curious and that something may actually happen.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I didn't want to start another hockey thread but this is big news. Steve Larmer has resigned from the NHLPA, "claiming the organization has returned to the "days of [Alan] Eagleson, when a select few made decisions for the group."

http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/11/19/Sports/larmer_leaves051119.html

Larmer, a former player has been with the PA for seven years.

Maybe Mr. Miler and other hockey scribes can weigh in here. Is Larmer credible and does he have the support of the majority (or at least a vocal minority) of the players?

According to a report in the Toronto Star today, the Leafs (led by Domi and Lindros) have effectively barred Saskin from talking to the team.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

In October, there was a story that said Rangers and Islanders players blew off Saskin.

Congratulate Bettman and the owners. They killed the NHLPA.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I've heard rumors about the Wings making a run at Luongo. That's one of the reasons they decided to stay with Legace and weren't big buyers in the goalie free agent market this past offseason. Legace is good enough to warrant the starters job and 900K wasn't much to spend on Osgood.

Plus, in a year or two, the Wings will be rid of some heavy contracts (like Chelios, Lang, even Yzerman), so they may have some room to give Luongo a decent offer, plus the Wings have talent on offense and defense (in Detroit and the minors).

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

you had to see the adrian aucoin interview between games on hnic. aucoin said he believed everything larmer had to say. then maclean/cherry/millen (who is very close to larmer) got into it. hrudey defended trevor linden on his segment.

it was good stuff.

larmer is one of the most respected individuals in the sport. players -- no matter where they stood on bettman vs goodenow vs saskin -- stood by him without question. whenever the nhlpa knew of a young guy who was struggling with something, larmer got the call. what makes this very interesting is that larmer is a quiet guy by nature. he does not like headlines, doesnt like to create news. but when he believes in something, he'll make a point.

in 1993, larmer was 80 games shy of doug jarvis' record for most consecutive games played (964), but he gave up the streak because he was unhappy in chicago and wanted to be traded. he went to the rangers and was a big piece of the stanley cup team. other than that, however, he kept pretty quiet and avoided controversy.

even now, he's apparently decided to refuse all interviews and just let his statement speak for itself.

over the past few months, it seemed like saskin would still get the executive director job had a proper vote been done. but thats not so certain now. this is such a seismic manouevre that it will probably drag him down.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Sirs, Madames,

All kinds of time for Larmer. One thing: He might be turning down interviews because, well, he's not the best interview, at least broadcast-wise. He has real player cred in the fraternity, heart and soul guy, maybe not the most spohisticated type. (He was also a great player, it should be said, as good a finisher this side of Bossy). I'm appalled by Saskin's salary (about twice as much as Donald Fehr and for exactly what? it's not like he has much to do over upcoming years) but even more so by the #2 Ian Pulver's (which is in Fehr's ballpark). A complete dick/brown-noser. They'll both get theirs--the door at least, something more in an ideal world. When the in-house lawyer billing gets out there, someone's gonna play Wayne Maki with Linden.

YHS, etc