FanNation

Another Crazy Week and More $$$!

Well, it's been another wild week in the NHL and, off all the signings that have taken place, I am only writing on the major ones. First off..., Demitra's a Canuck. Great..., yawn, got to sleep on this one. He hasn't had 30 goals in five years, he wasn't as advertised in Minnesota and as far as this writer is concerned..., he is the essence of the word 'one hit wonder'! And going to VCR isn't going to help him get back to his old self... ,the Sedins are the only real offense in VCR and Luongo's the best player on the team! Sure they got Bernier earlier but, they let of Morrison (to the Ducks) and Naslund (to NYR) so,  I don't expect the Canucks to even have a sniff at the playoffs next season. And speaking of Morrison..., he's now the second or third line center in Anaheim behind Getz and Neidermayer. Congratulations! You went to a team deep in centers! I was thinking Morrison was heading out here to the Leafs but, he's a better fit in Anaheim..., put him on a line with Moen and King for the first half and, maybe his offense will return..., maybe. Owen Nolan..., this guy had a great comeback season last year in Calgary and I was hoping he'd stick around but, Minnesota snagged him for two years. He won't replace Demitra but gives Gaborik and company a nice second liner who can now take some of the pressure off the Wild offense. And with Rolston gone as well, the Wild needed another winger and Nolan will fit in there. Todd Bertuzzi..., everyone's favorite punching bag is replacing Nolan in Calgary and all I can ask myself is..., WHY? This guy needs to follow Jagr and Emery to Russia for a year, find his game again and then come back..., CGY doesn't need this guy! Iginla, Cammelari, Conroy, Langkow, Phaneuf..., all quality offensive players who can at least hit the net every once in a while..., Bert's done. Ottawa signed Jason Smith..., probably with the intentions of playing him alongside Phillips but, he'd be better off next to Volchenkov (not that I care about Ottawa..., go Leafs!) But that being said, Smith's still a dependable defenseman and Ottawa needs that right now..., among other things like a backup to Gerber and someone other than Ruutu and Donovan to spell off Spezza and company up front. And now that two weeks have past, I expect things to slow down a little..., at least I hope. And as for Sundin..., getting a little tired of the runaround. Just sign already!

NHL Free Agency...., Lots Of $$$ and Surprises

Today is the third official day of free agency and, there have been a lot of sigings, a ton of cash handed out and some shockers. Like Malone, Kolzig and Roberts going to TB, Theodore going to DC, Huet going to Chicago..., it's a regular goaltending merry go round! Even Raycroft is in Colorado..., the Avs must've been desperate for a goalie. At any rate..., defensemen are on the move like cars on the Autobahn..., Campbell got his $7.45 million per season in Chicago, Blake's a Shark and Boyle could be a Shark as well (traded to SJ with another player for Carle). I like most of the deals that went down..., think Campbell will fit in nicely with Chicago's young defense, TB's getting a lot better, and the Sharks are loading on defense. Avery's gone to Dallas (good luck Stars!), Hossa's in Detroit for only one year which, makes no sense to me as he presumably had a 8 year, $80 million offer from another team and now Satan and Fedotenko will try to fill Hossa, Malone and Roberts' skates in Pittsburgh. I am just glad they reupped Malkin, Orpik and Fleury! Looks like the Devils are going back to the future with signing Rolston and Holik..., the Rangers are trying to replace Jagr with Naslund and signing Redden only makes a once decent defense worse..., no longer do they have Tyutin and Backman, now they got Zherdev and Fristche..., good luck NYR! But the one team that I believe has done a great job this year is..., wait for it..., Columbus! They unloaded Zherdev and Fristche, acquired two good D-man from the Rangers, got Torres for Brule, Umberger from Philly and signed Huselius and Commodore and now, they could become the final current NHL team to make the playoffs next year! But then again, in a tough Western conference with Detroit and Chicago ahead of you in the division..., it's going to be a tough road for Columbus. It's been a fun filled, as well as cash filled, few days in free agency and with Sundin, Selanne,  Forsberg and Sakic still out there, it's going to be a another long summer of overpayed players and GM's who just want one shot at the Stanley Cup.

And The Leafs Saga Continues..., yay.

So the Leafs have bought out Tucker, Wellwood (who went to Vancouver..., nice pickup!), Raycroft and now, they're planning on buying out McCabe..., finally! Been waiting for months for the Leafs 'braintrust' to do something! Tucker was a fan fave in TO and while I am sad to see him leave, maybe it's time. If there was one guy on this team who actually played it was him..., I'll miss seeing #16 crashing into the boards for a loose puck. Raycroft's days were numbered when the Leafs traded for Toskala..., Razor had 2 wins in 19 starts last year and is obviously not the Calder trophy winner from before the lockout! Pogge oughta step right in behind Toskala and win some games in relief..., hopefully! As for McCabe..., I can't stand this guy anymore. All he wants is his $6 million per year for..., doing nothing! If he wants to play on Long Island near his home and family..., here's a thought? Waive your NTC! At least the Leafs can get a low round pick or a player for this jerk! And if they don't want the player they get back, release him like the Habs did with Cullimore last season! For things in Leafland to get better..., they need to wash their hands of McCabe..., Schenn oughta fill his shoes in a year or two and with Strahlman and Kronwall back there with Kaberle and Kubina, I feel comfortable with that. As for Sundin..., I do like this guy, he was a great player for this team for 13 years and while I hate seeing him go (Montreal is the best bet!), I won't boo this guy when he returns to the ACC next season. If they can get a guy like Ryder or someone else from Montreal for Sundin's rights, I say do it and do it quickly. The Leafs can then use that $7 million they were saving for Mats on a couple of good, young players on July 1. But then again..., this Leaf fan ain't holding his breath!

Is Winning the Hart Worth It?

A while back, I did a blog on who I thought had the upper hand in winning the NHL awards this season and, yeah..., got some players wrong! But the more I started thinking about the actual players up for certain awards, the more it hit me..., maybe winning the biggest trophy outside of Lord Stanley's Cup isn't really worth it? Let me explain..., I went back about 15 years in the history of who won this trophy and, I found something kind of weird. In 1993-94, a young Russian goal scorer by the name of Sergei Federov won this award for the Red Wings. Since then, he's been bounced from Detroit to Columbus to Washington..., hasn't played in another Finals to my recollection or even been nominated for another award. He's lost his scoring touch in the process and I believe Detroit tried to make him a defenseman! A year later, another talented young player by the name of Eric Lindros won this award while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers..., a few years later, he was traded to New York, signed with the Leafs, then the Stars and ended his 'illustrious' career to work for the NHLPA. In 1996, Mario won his last Hart Trophy before calling it a career..., then returning, then retiring again. 1997 welcomed the name of Dominik Hasek for the first of his two Harts..., he's now a 41 year old back up for the Wings, having played for the Sens between stints. Jagr won his last Hart before the wheels fell off his game, after that Pronger and Sakic traded the award and had decent years after. But then Jose Theodore won his Hart and apparently imploded after that..., he never was the same player after 2001-02 was he? St. Louis won the award before the lockout and he's not the same, Thornton's still a dominant big guy in San Jose but that's during the regular season. And Crosby won it last year..., he missed 30 games with injury and could've seriously lowered Pittsburgh's Cup chances at the same time (if it wasn't for Malkin, who's up for it this year.)

 Point is..., anyone in the past fifteen years or so that has won this award, has either been injured, had huge expectations thrown at them or just didn't care about what the league thought after winning it. I just pray that if Ovechkin, Malkin or Iginla wins this award this year, they won't have the same downside as the others before them.

And another one hits the ice..., and other thoughts.

Far be it from me to criticize the judgements made by people who are smarter than most us fans but..., you had to see this coming. Paul Maurice is toast in Toronto..., good bye, farewell, don't let the bench door hit you on the way out. I'm sure a lot of people are saying that at this moment but, when did this start? Since when is a coach, a guy who makes 1/10th or less or what his average player makes, given the skate off into the sunset when his players don't repsond? Do not get me wrong here..., Maurice is a good coach and I hate to see him go but, shouldn't most of the blame for this go towards guys like McCabe, Tucker..., you know, the guys on the ice! Maurice will find another job somewhere and I do wish him well..., whoever the new GM will be will pick his coach, as he should. And speaking of GM's..., apparently Bobby Clarke is 'intrigued' by Toronto's vacancy. I just got two words for that..., NO WAY! We don't need this guy in Toronto, just like we didn't need Burke (who wasn't going anyway?) No..., we need a like Bob McKenzie at TSN or, Doug Wilson from the Sharks. A guy who's been around for a while, either analyzing like BM or playing the game like DW. Clarke's not the type of guy we need here in Toronto..., Toronto fans hate this guy anyway!