NHL 2010/2011

[caucasianheat]

Weiss has Toronto in his sights but apparently they're not planning to make an offer to Florida for him at this point.

I am similarly hanging around all day watching the non-coverage of non-trades. Nice to see they got Pang a milk crate to stand on.

[SeanDMan]

I doubt it's only one.

9:31 Jay Onrait: Like this comment from DGB: "Keith Aulie is like a wookie on skates"

[Gabriel]

Keith Aulie is going to be the biggest piece of last year's big Toronto/Calgary deal. Mark my words, the Flames are going to rue the day they sent Aulie to Toronto. Don't get me wrong, Hagman is one of the hardest working players in the league and Matt Stajan has been a serviceable (if not productive) 2nd/3rd line center for us... but Keith Aulie is going to be the most important player to his new team, of all the players involved in that deal.

[SeanDMan]

TSN just had a really creepy ad, which I assume is for male enhancement, directing to 40over40.ca. It brought up horrible images of old people sex.

[caucasianheat]

Beer and stuff that makes your parts work (maybe after drinking too much beer?) are really the advert-dollar cornerstones for hockey.

Konopka to Vancouver is rumoured. I like it, fills really the only conceivable hole the team has by bringing in a guy who can play gritty shut down minutes and dominates in the dot.

[SeanDMan]

I like it too. I wouldn't be shocked if Gillis does something big, swapping Raymond out for something stronger on the second line. I think the most likely result for the Canucks is to tinker small, though.

Edit:

Beer and stuff that makes your parts work (maybe after drinking too much beer?) are really the advert-dollar cornerstones for hockey.

9:51 Jay Onrait: Tyler points out that the commercials about people hooking up via Blackberry BBM are amazing. They really are. "Use our devices for sexting"

...thinking you're on to something.

[SeanDMan]

9:57 TSNBobMcKenzie: LAK Justin Williams signs a four year deal worth $14.6M . [via Twitter]

Guessing that's the end of their tire kicking on Brad Richards; they could probably still fit Weiss if he was willing to go there.

10:00 Jay Onrait: AJ made me laugh with this: "Justin Williams is making Matt Stajan money now"

Lots of questions about that signing.

[Toe]

I think Clarke MacArthur knows that he has found a great spot for himself playing with Grabbo and Kulemin. Even if they cannot sign a contract now, he is a RFA and I think that is the way to go. Go to arbitration, accept the one year deal, and see if Clarkey Mark can put up numbers again.

On Weiss, he plays all the tough minutes in Florida. On a team with our top two lines, he would probably see less competition since the Grabbo line seems to attract the most attention. If you think Weiss would be a good fit with Kessel, then you pick up Weiss.

[Gabriel]

9:57 TSNBobMcKenzie: LAK Justin Williams signs a four year deal worth $14.6M . [via Twitter]

Guessing that's the end of their tire kicking on Brad Richards; they could probably still fit Weiss if he was willing to go there.

10:00 Jay Onrait: AJ made me laugh with this: "Justin Williams is making Matt Stajan money now"

Lots of questions about that signing.

I don't see why he wouldn't be, unless he's thinking more about his family or personal situation than who he wants to play hockey with. The Kings have the prospects to fill out a deal that Tallon would love, with guys like Bernier, Teubert and Hickey. Not to mention Vyacheslav Voinov, who has 2 years left on his deal at under a million per season. If Vokoun is on his way out, Tallon would be hard pressed to find a better young goalie who is as close to ready as Jonathan Bernier is.

[Toe]

Is anyone watching Sportsnet? I'm on TSN and only switching during the commercials.

[SeanDMan]

I heard Weiss said "TML or GTFO" when asked which team he would prefer to be moved to.

[caucasianheat]

Is anyone watching Sportsnet? I'm on TSN and only switching during the commercials.

Doing the same. Their panel of bygone NHLers isn't as deep as TSN's but I noticed they've been breaking some stuff a little earlier...

... like the re-signing of Mark Stuart in ATL at 5.1 over 3.

[Gabriel]

FIRST TRADE!

Atlanta gets Radek Dvorak from Florida in exchange for Niclas Bergfors.

Good deal for both teams. Thrashers get a guy who is a veteran with some good skills and leadership, and Tallon adds a younger player to the Florida roster with some real good upside.

[Toe]

Now that Buffalo has added Boyes, Atlanta has added Dvorak, and Catolina has added Stillman, do you think Toronto feels more pressure to make a move?

[caucasianheat]

Honestly I feel it makes more sense for them to hold pat. The assets that others teams will want from Toronto are ones they'd be better off keeping. The race to get stomped by Philadelphia in 5 games isn't one I'd be mortgaging myself into as a manager.

[Ruki]

Honestly I feel it makes more sense for them to hold pat. The assets that others teams will want from Toronto are ones they'd be better off keeping. The race to get stomped by Philadelphia in 5 games isn't one I'd be mortgaging myself into as a manager.

Burke basically said this in the press conference after trading Kabs.

[Toe]

If you add Weiss, you are adding him for now and next year. I think moving one of the first rounders Burke has picked up would be a good move. Those picks may be more valuable now then at the draft.

[Gabriel]

Honestly I feel it makes more sense for them to hold pat. The assets that others teams will want from Toronto are ones they'd be better off keeping. The race to get stomped by Philadelphia in 5 games isn't one I'd be mortgaging myself into as a manager.

Most definitely. If you can add a piece or two without giving up anyone who's been essential to this big run, or too many picks or high-end prospects, then I'd say go for it. Especially if it's someone that will be part of the long-term solution in Toronto. But the idea of mortgaging the future so that they can sneak into the post-season, or acquiring rental players... those are just bone-head decisions to make, and Brian Burke is far too intelligent to make those mistakes. He's done a great job re-stocking the cupboards in Toronto, and it's arguable that any "future mortgaging" he may have done thus far was done by design to improve the team long-term.

The Kessel deal is the perfect example of that. 26 goals this season, and he's proven that he's going to be at least a 25 goal scorer for a long time. So Burke acquired him for some picks, which you can never guarantee. He knew what he was getting out of Kessel, and it was a calculated gamble that I think is hard to intelligently put down as a bad deal.

[Toe]

I remember hearing yesterday that Nashville were offering up Ryan Ellis for Clarkey Mark. That is a really tough deal to turn down.

[Gabriel]

Capitals add Dennis Wideman for a prospect and a 3rd round pick this year.

Dale Tallon strikes again!