1473 replies to this topic

[Nieuwy25]

Stars re-sign Brenden Morrow for 2 seasons.

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Also John Erskine for 1 year.

[moustic]

I learn today that there are other teams in NHL... other than my boys !

[insanity_gallops]

Preds have signed Randy Robitaille.

[Derek21]

A summary of today's signings off TSN tracker:


Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - Sign right-winger Shane Hynes.

Columbus Blue Jackets - Sign right-winger Jaroslav Balastik.

Dallas Stars - Sign forward Brenden Morrow, defenceman John Erskine, right-winger Janos Vas and goaltender Dan Ellis.

Detroit Red Wings - Sign forward Valtteri Filppula.

Edmonton Oilers - Re-sign centre Shawn Horcoff.

Minnesota Wild - Re-signed forward Rickard Wallin.

Nashville Predators - Sign centre Randy Robitaille.

New York Islanders - Signed unrestricted free-agent defenceman Joel Bouchard.

Ottawa Senators - Sign centre Steve Martins, left-winger Brett Clouthier and defenceman Tomas Malec.

Phoenix Coyotes - Signed unrestricted free-agent goaltender Steve Passmore.

[insanity_gallops]

Malec could prove to be a very sneaky signing by Ottawa.

[bruins4777]

Or he could end up sucking majorly like he has these past 2 seasons.

[Satans Hockey]

Where'd you hear that, Moustic?  It would be excellent if it were true...

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http://www.jatkoaika...uutiset&id=4491

and on his team roster... his name is no more here

http://www.hifk.fi/j...oukkuelista.php

(ok maybe i'm a very bad sherlock Holmes)
(it's still possible)

ahem...

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Has anyone else heard anything about Ari?

[RowdyFan42]

Has anyone else heard anything about Ari?

Spector's picked up on the same story Moustic posted, but other than that, no.

[bruins4777]

http://www.tsn.ca/nh...y.asp?id=134051

i like this....kinda. a bit. i'm mixed. he plays the point on the powerplay, but we already have 2 forwards who do that masterfully in kovalchuk and heatley. So i'm just kinda iffy on this...but the experience he brings is solid and he can still be good for at least 20 goals. This would also mean mellanby might get moved down to the third line, an area where stefan might need help.

[Triumph]

If Bondra's good for 20 goals, he's not good at all. The Thrashers may as well put Per Svartvadet there if Bondra's going to score 20. He needs to score 30-35. I think he can do it, and I think he'd be a good addition. Then again, they need defense way before they need Bondra.

When did Bondra play the point on the power play? Gonchar was the point man for years in Washington. Now Bondra or Jagr often got all 2 minutes on the PP, so now that I think about it Bondra probably played left point - but he's hardly a PP 'quarterback'. Put him on the right side and he'll bury one-timers all day.

Edited by Triumph, 20 August 2005 - 12:08 PM.

[Derek21]

He'll do good there. They play a high tempo and he'll get the chance to bury easy chances.

Atlanta's D? They added someone last summer. If I could just remember who. Frantisek Kaberle. Underrated player. I forgot that he went to Carolina last summer. Atlanta replaced him with Jaroslav Modry. Similar player.

Let's see who else they have. I know there's a couple of young guys with potential. Or maybe their defense just sucks moff balls.

Andy Sutton- actually played decent for them last time
Niclas Havelid- nothing special
Shane Hnidy- Senator castoff
Garrett Exelby-people like this guy; supposed to be mean
Tomas Kloucek- ruined by the Rangers
Braydon Coburn- a former number one pick with potential

They have three others listed in their system but I've never heard of any. This team was at $20 million without their best two players signed. They certainly would have room to add another defenseman. But do they care?

[Triumph]

Kloucek wasn't any good anyway, but now he's a decent third pairing defenseman.

The problem with Atlanta isn't depth, they actually have a lot of capable NHL d men, but they don't have anyone who's any good.

There are no more defensemen available that the Thrashers should be interested in. If I were them I'd think about dealing Patrik Stefan for Brendan Witt - but Washington may not want to make an intra-divisional deal.

[Derek21]

Wasn't any good Tri? He was when he came up with the Rangers and looked like he could be a top four physical D-man. Isn't that what the team has lacked since Beukeboom retired?

That was before his awful ACL and MCL tear in Atlanta back in 2001. Then, they rushed him back eight months later and tried to make him the savior of their D. I remember it well. It was a typical bs PR move when they would have been better off making sure he was 100 percent. He cameback and never was the same.

Then he got traded to Nashville in that moronic Doneham deal. But never was there long. They moved him to Atlanta, where he got minimal ice-time but suffered a concussion. This was two seasons ago.

Now, he may as well retire. And thus another chapter of how the Rangers messed up a prospect. Well, at least Manny Malhotra recovered in Columbus after two plus years of damage.

[Triumph]

Kloucek is just another Mike Commodore. Looks good, plays physical, but doesn't have enough mobility or instincts to be a top four defender. Maybe before the MCL and ACL tear he did.

[Derek21]

Well, Tri, I guess we'll never know.

[bruins4777]

ok, got lots to say.
1. kaberle was frustrating as hell. He was a poor man's version of his brother. Highly overrated jsut like his bro. Decent stats, but he didn't always feel like playing. He would look like a capable top 2 one night and look like a guy who jsut didn't care other nights.
Modry is a vast improvement if what i hear from kings fans is true.

Andy Sutton- actually played decent for them last time

ok sutton is GREAT. He's slow footed, but his positioning is very underrated, he knows how to pick his spots, and its no coincidence that when he goes down with injuries the team tends to go into spirals. He's a great leader and a really good no.3 defensive dman. His slapper from the point is a beauty as well

Niclas Havelid- nothing special

agreed, but he was brought in more cause of his experience from the finals that one year i guess.

Shane Hnidy- Senator castoff

he won't play.

Garrett Exelby-people like this guy; supposed to be mean

garnet...people do love him, his first NHL shift he beat the hell out of this guy on the rags i think. He's mean as hell and his hitting is beautiful. He's much more mobile than he seems. Offensively he has nothing, but he's a character guy who is a no.4 and has remarkable consistency.

Tomas Kloucek- ruined by the Rangers

bleh.

Braydon Coburn- a former number one pick with potential

if his offensive potential never appears, defensively he has shown he can be a great defensive dman anchor and he's been a leader his entire career.

overall their defense is nothing amazing, but i really think its a kind of all around defense that could be SUFFICIENT to make the playoffs and some kind of dent, while kovalchuk and heatley lead up front.

ok...now on the topic of bondra.
tri, i didn't mean he quarterbacked it, but if i implied that somehow, my bad. He played the left point and blasted in one timers. The position kovalchuk does. And heatley either played right or left, he was more lidstrom like on the powerplay though. There just isn't a load of room on the back end of hte powerplay, i like hte idea of modry and bondra as one pairing and heatley and kovalchuk as quarterbacking powerplay pairs, but its kinda scary defensively. But it would be interesting nonetheless. When heatley came back there was a conflict at the point already, with another one it would be interesting. But i'm sure heatley is versatile enough to down low, we'll see.

[Triumph]

Put Bondra down low, that's where he was for years with Washington before Jagr got there and took over that position. He is not a good PP QB and his shot isn't a great point shot. If Atlanta gets him, they should put him there. Five forward PPs are not worth it, too many short handed goals against. They have Modry and Havelid.

Sutton is not a top defender - he has evolved into a good one, but we'll see how the interference rules affect him.

What Kings fans were you talking to about Modry? I don't think he was very popular there.

[bruins4777]

I never said sutton was a top defender, but he is no doubt a top leader and a no.3 on any team. and even a good team a top 4. He's a great shutdown guy and a guy who really helps the team out. Like i said, the past 2 times the thrashers went on their biggest slides their first lost happen right when sutton got injured.

As for bondra playing down low? Sounds good to me, i was worried the same about 5 forwards on the PP as well.

modry, i forget some guy on the avs board who lived in LA or something. There were some people i talked to on another board who liked him for his smooth play or something...i dunno.

o ya i forgot to mention.
a trade stefan for witt, in my mind, would be retarded. First off i don't like witt's dirtiness and even if he was as good pre awful season. I still wouldn't want him for stefan. For all of stefan's scoring shortcomings, he has really really really come into his own defensively and could be a future selke guy. And by getting rid of stefan the thrashers turn into a team with not just a weak grindline but NO GRINDLINE to speak of.

Edited by bruins4777, 21 August 2005 - 07:51 PM.

[Triumph]

Right because they didn't add Bobby Holik and Scott Mellanby.

What are you talking about?

If Stefan's defensive play has evolved, good for him, and Atlanta should keep him. But he will be UFA two seasons from now, right when they'll have to start paying Kovalchuk and Heatley big money.

[bruins4777]

Right because they didn't add Bobby Holik and Scott Mellanby.

What are you talking about?

If Stefan's defensive play has evolved, good for him, and Atlanta should keep him.  But he will be UFA two seasons from now, right when they'll have to start paying Kovalchuk and Heatley big money.

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errrr. holik probably will play on a scoring line...mellanby, will play on a scoring line, most likely aside kovalchuk. but if bondra is added we can notch him down to the grind line....and even then, mellanby alone i don't think can carry a grind line.

stefan won't be asking for big money any time soon. he knows his place and thats why he is a great player and a very mature one at that.

the thrashers biggest issue last year was lack of a second line center or even depth there for that matter. stefan exceled as a 3rdline center, but when savard went down, which he did often last year, the thrashers struggled to find a decent center. stefan struggled when forced into minutes or over offensive situations he was not comfortable with. but skating along side mchchrean going against top lines he looked more than comfortable.

this is why the holik signing was so great. he gave us a big top lockdown guy who can score. holik also added much needed size down the middle.