Addressing the Thrashers GPD (Goal Production Deficit)
As we have moved through this summer’s offseason, we’ve periodically paused to take a look at where the Thrashers roster was at that time. In the past we have use the exercise to discuss where the team was in the terms of the salary cap, but today I’d like to focus our attention to what could be the on-ice production of the players who could currently make up the Thrashers’ lineup.
Specifically speaking…goals scored.
For this exercise, I’m going to use last year’s offensive output from the players and compare those stats to last year’s overall Thrashers goal production. The record shows that Atlanta netted 234 goals in last year’s campaign, but in reality they really scored 230 times…4 were gimmick goals awarded by way of shootout wins. So for the sake of today’s discussion, I’m going use 230 goals as the comparison.
Also, I’m including in the proposed lineup the remaining Thrashers RFAs that are still likely to return. In the case of a players like Nic Bergfors and Johnny Oduya, I’m taking into consideration their entire season goal productions…both with New Jersey and Atlanta. Plus, I’m placing Patrice Cormier on the roster to bring the total number of forwards to 13. I’m doing the same on defense with Arturs Kulda.
Forwards:
Nic Antropov – 24g / 43a
Nic Antropov scored 24 goals and 43 assists for the Thrashers last season (AP photo)
Rich Peverley – 22g / 33a
Nic Bergfors – 21g / 23a
Dustin Byfuglien – 17g /17a
Andrew Ladd – 17g / 21a
Evander Kane – 14g / 12a
Bryan Little – 13g / 21a
Jim Slater – 11g / 7a
Todd White – 7g/19a
Ben Eager – 7g / 9a
Chris Thorburn – 4g / 9a
Eric Boulton – 2g / 6a
Patrice Cormier – 0g / 0a (No prior NHL experience)
Defense:
Zach Bogosian – 10g / 13a
Toby Enstrom – 6g / 44a
Ron Hainsey – 5g /21a
Johnny Oduya – 3g / 10a
Brent Sopel – 1g / 7a
Boris Valabik – 0g / 2a
Arturs Kulda – 0g / 2a
Obviously past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance, but if you add up the goals scored last season by the players listed, you wind up with a grand total of 184 …falling 46 shy of last year’s mark. This is what I refer to as the Thrashers’ Goal Production Deficit, (GPD). This GPD can be pinned on the scoring vacancy left in the wake of Ilya Kovalchuk decade-long presence in the Thrashers lineup. But we are now officially in the post-Kovy era in Thrasherville and must find other ways to plant the puck in the net on a regular basis.
So, just where the Thrashers to find the 46 extra goals to make up the difference?
First off, if Dudley and Co. were able to bring back Maxim Afinogenov that could conceivable reduce the GPD by over half, 24. Again, this assumes a repeat of last year’s showing by the Russian winger. If so, that would leave the theoretical deficit down to a more manageable -22.
Evander Kane accounted for 14 goals and 12 assists in his rookie season last year (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)
Also, as a side note, you would be looking at a team built around the concept of “balanced” scoring. Not one of those players put in more than 24 goals last year.
But even if Max does return…and does turn in another performance as he did in 2009-10…where do you find the other 22 goals? A couple places come to mind here.
First, if you believe as I do that Bryan Little is good for 20 goals a year, then you’re no doubt expecting him to shake off last season’s sophomore slump and increase last year’s 13 goals production by at least 7.
Also, if Evander Kane can find a way to avoid that dreaded sophomore slump, then I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to see him improve on the 14 he netted in his rookie season. Let’s say he too can improve to 20 goals…6 more than last season.
That leaves us 8 goals short of last year’s total. Where do you find ten more goals?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…
Hey, do you think maybe …possibly… conceivably… theoretically… we could get someone like, say, Todd White to up his production by 8?
shrugs…
More than likely, 8 more goals would come by way of a 2 here, 1 there scenario from multiple players. But that’s what you need to happen in a post-Kovalchuk era…everyone else picking up the slack to close the GPD.
But What…There’s More Deficits To Discuss
While we’re at it, let’s also recognize the other deficit issue with this current crop of Thrashers…the assist totals. Last year Thrashers skaters earned a total of 411 assists, which was the 8th highest total in the NHL.
But the players listed above accounted for just 319. This produces an assists deficit disorder, (ADD), of 92. 32 of that total went with Pavel Kubina when he departed for Tampa Bay.
Returning to Afinogenov, he netted 37 assists last season…so even if the Thrashers re-signed Max, the ADP is –55. You’re gonna have to look all over the roster to address that deficit.
And Finally… I Tweet, Therefore, I Am
Those of you who know me well understand that I have been reluctant to join the twitterverse. Personally, I don’t think people need to know my every move or every thought.
However, Big Shooter of The Blueland Chronicle recently took on the task of proselytizing me into the twitter collective. Apparently he insists on knowing my every move, every thought and every idea in order to make it through the day. When I’m on my back deck, he needs a tweet from me saying so. When I am preparing dinner, he must read what I’m dishing up. When I make my way to the water closet…he must be number one or number two to know.
I resisted, of course, but when he informed me that he could not guarantee my personal safety…or that certain juicy bits of dirty laundry might make it’s way to the blogosphere…I reconsidered.
I guess that’s what I get for spending a weeking in Nashville with The Blueland Chronicle boys last winter. Ya know, Tennessee police detectives and strange women still show up at my door with pictures of BS asking if I know who this man is.
But you know what they say…what happens in Nashvegas, stays in Nashvegas.
Anywway, upon further reconsideration, I have relented…even though quite reluctantly…and have allowed myself to be assimilated into the twitter fold.
Obviously, this made Big Shooter very happy indeed.
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150 comments Add your comment
Alan R.
July 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
WELCOME TO TWITTER, MR. BILL TILLER!!
R. Stroz
July 22nd, 2010
1:58 pm
Rawhide is now officially part of the twitter Borg.
Tony C.
July 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
Eh. you’re more likely to get quoted in national media-hey maybe now you can have fun making up rumors like “Kane, Byfuglien & 2nd-round pick in 2012 to San Jose for Thorton, 3rd round pick in 2011″….
And we all know how much that’ll drive up your numbers-heck you might even get a check out of this gig yet Mr. T!
Mikey
July 22nd, 2010
2:03 pm
Rawhide is now a ‘twit’ like the rest of us LOL!
Got to get some more scoring in the line up.
Hokey Clisters
July 22nd, 2010
2:06 pm
How many tweets could a person tweet if a person could tweet?
BG33Brown
July 22nd, 2010
2:08 pm
et tu rawhide?
World Be Free
July 22nd, 2010
2:09 pm
Rawhide, if you want more out of Todd white, you have to put him on the carton as you did last year to get him going. How about a Todd White billboard? As you come off the 75 (in both directions) so he can see it when he drives to the games and get ticked off!
Todd White with an edge- ooohhh, that’s scary!
frenchy
July 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
Well, if you consider that we were rumored to be in the sweepstake for Kovy, that means more money is available for an additional goal scorer… that should take care of our GPD and APD (get it?) The real question is, who will be this goal scorer and when will Duds sign him?
Always enjoy reading you, Iceman… not always providing my 2 cents but still…
Rawhide
July 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
Rawhide is now officially part of the twitter Borg.
RStroz - resistance is futile.
Rawhide is now a ‘twit’ like the rest of us LOL!
Mikey – The Divine Mrs. R would argue I have been one for many years now.
And we all know how much that’ll drive up your numbers-heck you might even get a check out of this gig yet Mr. T!
Tony C. – Actually, I’d like to just break even. I still have to deliver papers in the morning to keep the right to host this blog.
et tu rawhide?
BG33Brown – Yes…me too.
Rawhide, if you want more out of Todd white, you have to put him on the carton as you did last year to get him going.
WBF - Should we just start the year off with him on the carton? I mean, why wait 2 month in?
Always enjoy reading you, Iceman… not always providing my 2 cents but still…
frenchy – Thank youuuuuuuu
Darren
July 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Don’t forget the start Bogosian got off to before the injury hurt his production the rest of the year. If he gets/stays healthy, I don’t think 15 or so goals is unreasonable to expect, given his talent.
Looking at teams like Nashville that don’t really have *uh* primary scorer, but rely on goals by committee, you can expect collectively the slack to be picked up.
Telfo
July 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
due to increased ice time and players improving, we should get close to last years goal total, or at least to 220 or so. The goals against has to go down a bunch tho
Tony C.
July 22nd, 2010
2:25 pm
I’d still feel better with another proven 20+ goal-scorer on that roster! I mean who says Esposito does the improbable and nhas a breakout season for us? but realistically, I’d like to see us land Afinegenov, Stepniak or Ponikarovsky (in that order)in order to bolster our “O”.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to look for 20g+ from Kane or Little, but 25+ seems a bit much. To me, the question of the season is:
“Which Byfuglien did we get?”
If that question is answered “Spring 2010″ then I feel lots and lots better about standing pat with our current set of forwards.
But I’m very leery of counting on the big guy to deliver similar results over a full season.
thebigharybeast
July 22nd, 2010
2:26 pm
I still refuse to twit, Rawhide I bite my thumb at you!
I still wish we would resign Max. Im not too worried about goals. With more ice time we can pick up that number. But the assists lost between Max and Kubina . . . ouch!
Matt in Maine
July 22nd, 2010
2:34 pm
I think Little will be good for 25, as I have outlined in my blog: thrashcompactor.blogspot.com
Shameless advertisement, yes, but I’ve outlined in much more detail than I can post on here why I think he’s better than 13 goals.
Cal
July 22nd, 2010
2:39 pm
How about giving up less goals? That would negate having to score as many goals as we did last year. I think Ramsey will (hopefully) use a more defensively sound ’system’ to that of Anderson.
Better defense and consistently decent goaltending will be the path to the playoffs.
Like Darren said – look at Nashville.
Rawhide
July 22nd, 2010
2:41 pm
Matt in Maine – No worries on the “shameless plug”. I’ve added you to my blog roll.
I think you are correct about Littel improving on last year’s production. He’s got to be one of the main players to step it up to replace the loss of Kovalchuk’s 40+ goals.
BTW…Maine is beautiful. Spend some time vacationing in the southern part of the state, Kennebunkport. President Bush 41 has a great pad there.
How about giving up less goals?
Cal – Now there’s a novel idea
AThrashrfan13
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
Good analysis. Any consideration given to how a Ramsey offensive and defensive gameplan will fit in as compared to the dump and chase system run by Anderson last year? I would think that more aggressive styles by the O and D lines will make up some of the shortfall. What about the effect of having forwards that will get their hands dirty in and arround the net as opposed to the hang back and hang out game played by Kovy last year?
J.B.
July 22nd, 2010
2:54 pm
Reasoner has been traded back into the division. Panthers
Jack
July 22nd, 2010
3:04 pm
Rawhide I feel your pain, I just gave in to the Twit society a ocuple weeks ago. Defintely no twiting during the game
Brendan
July 22nd, 2010
3:05 pm
If we got our GF to 237 and our GA to 226, then we’d be a threat to make the playoffs, and do something once there. Make it happen, Craig Ramsay. I wish Ramsay could bring in Luce as an assistant coach. The two of them were an amazing shutdown pair, on Buffalo’s checking line in the 1970’s, when hockey was ‘wide-open.’
Rawhide
July 22nd, 2010
3:08 pm
Good analysis. Any consideration given to how a Ramsey offensive and defensive gameplan will fit in as compared to the dump and chase system run by Anderson last year?
AThrashrfan13 – I can’t really answer that question right now…but I hope to gain an audience with CR soon. I’ll see if I can get an answer then.
Jack – As I tweeted not too long ago, there will be absolutely no tweeting during games. Eyes and attention on the ice.
Adam
July 22nd, 2010
3:09 pm
You also have to remember that for more than 2/3 of the season whenever Kovy was on the ice, 5 on 5 or PP, it was all about getting him the puck. Yes he put up some goals but how many times did we watch ill advised shots go wide or hit the glass.
A more balanced attack that isn’t so 1 dimensional should equal more goals.
It’s pretty hard to make comparisons as so much has changed and we haven’t even see game 1 under Ramsey yet.
Sara
July 22nd, 2010
3:10 pm
I’m just not seeing it. We lost 97 goals from last year’s team total: Max – 24, Kovy – 31, Kubina – 6, Army – 15, Slava – 8, MacArthur – 3, Artyukhin – 5, Salmela – 1, Popovic – 2, Stapleton -2.
Now, add the 13 Bergie scored in NJ, 17 for Ladd, 17 for Buff, 7 from Eager, 1 from Sopel, 2 from Oduya. That’s 57 goals – still leaving a deficit of 40 goals. Can you get enough improvement from Bergie, Kane, and Little to make up for that? How much can Cormier contribute (or whoever it is who now replaces MacArthur’s spot)? Can Kulda put it in the net?
40 isn’t insurmountable but it isn’t exactly chump change either. Not too mention we’d be one significant player injury away from potential disaster.
I gotta be honest – I’m missing Kovy more by the minute. It’d be nice having one guy that could pick up that slack, making everything else contributed gravy.
kracker
July 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
Bill, whether it’s number one, number two or some combination I surely don’t want to think about, please leave it out of my twitter feed.
ChippersLoveChild
July 22nd, 2010
3:22 pm
Feel bad for Marty… he thought he was finally moving to a Cup contending team… I’ll be happy to see him in Phillips more frequently though. Always liked Reasoner.
Mikey
July 22nd, 2010
3:31 pm
Rawhide, it looks like you got timmyf over at BWA all in a tizzy with today’s topic.
http://www.birdwatchersanonymous.com/2010/7/22/1582623/dear-thrashers-bloggers-please-stop
Jack
July 22nd, 2010
3:36 pm
What did Chicago receive for Marty?
Buzilla in CT
July 22nd, 2010
3:38 pm
Bill, you could have still used GDP (Goal Deficit Problem)
J.B.
July 22nd, 2010
3:41 pm
C Jeff Taffe
The Real Thrash
July 22nd, 2010
3:42 pm
Does not look like we will sign Afinogenov so we have got to pay another 20 goal scorer.
Defense will not make up for the GPD. New system takes a while to gel.
Jack
July 22nd, 2010
3:59 pm
Sorry meant its a gread idea not to Twit during the game, and you will not be seeing me do it at any venue.
Flames- any news that you can report?.
Rawhide
July 22nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Bill, whether it’s number one, number two or some combination I surely don’t want to think about, please leave it out of my twitter feed.
kracker – I make it my personal pledge to you and all of twiiter-nation that I will never do so.
Rawhide, it looks like you got timmyf over at BWA all in a tizzy with today’s topic.
Mikey – Wow….that’s quite a writeup. But I like timmyf and what he does over at BWA…and I actually think he makes very valid points in his post. But I’m just setting the table of converstation here so that the masses can gather around, adding their comments as side dishes….which you all do my the hundreds each week.
Bill, you could have still used GDP (Goal Deficit Problem)
Zillanator – Ya know, I actually used “Goal Deficit Problem” originally…exactly as you mentioned. But I didn’t want the blog to be linked to and confused by some as a story about the economy. That, plus…I didn’t want people around here going off in that direction either. Know what I mean?
Dwayne
July 22nd, 2010
4:12 pm
Twittin Tiller….Slater will pot 4 more goals than last year. There is half of the 8 you requested.
World Be Free
July 22nd, 2010
4:23 pm
Brendan-Don Luce would be able to teach our centerman how to win faceoffs-hands down.
BlueSpark
July 22nd, 2010
4:35 pm
Stempniak – should be good for another 20, right?
Joe Friday
July 22nd, 2010
4:53 pm
I don’t know why they don’t just sign Frolov and be done with it, are they that afraid of what Ladd’s going to be awarded? Frolov solves the problem and can probably be signed for $4m. Still would leave budget open to make a deadline move for more help if they’re in it
Russ
July 22nd, 2010
5:08 pm
I still say the main problem is the blueline. With the roster as it is right now I would be willing to bet the Thrashers would rank higher among the 30 teams in GF than they would in GA. Should have upped the ante for Kubina, and now there are no suitable replacements left out there in free agency.
Smoothie
July 22nd, 2010
5:09 pm
Fellas, now that I think about it, I think Duds is shrewdly waiting things out to see which of the following players out of Stempniak, Poni, Frolov and Torres get left holding their jock after every team they would prefer to play for says “no thank you”. Somebody will be left and will have to come groveling at the feet of Dudley for a bone to be tossed their way. We’ll get a 15-20 goal scorer on the cheap after another couple weeks…you watch.
R. Stroztradamus
July 22nd, 2010
5:58 pm
If the Thrashers consistently score more goals than their opponent, they will have more wins than loses.
Teams that consistently score less goals than their opponent, usually end up in the lottery draft.
Therefore, a goal production deficit is un-good.
The moral of the story: the three keys to the season are
1) Score more goals than your opponent
2) Score more goals than your opponent
3) Score more goals than your opponent
AThrashrfan13
July 22nd, 2010
6:06 pm
And Slates only played about the 2nd half of the season with any regularity. I have to think he could grind out another 8 or 10 nets. He plays into the agressive system that the Thrashers appear, on the surfacr, o he heading in.
Just Curious
July 22nd, 2010
6:07 pm
Isn’t timmyf the same tool who posted the “Andrew Ladd trade” recently? Maybe he should stick to being an eklund copycat.
Badger Bob
July 22nd, 2010
6:17 pm
Sara, Kovy was not the answer, here or in NJ. We’ll be a better team without him.
Smoothie’s probably right about the signing strategy, but my wild card speculation for the other 20 goals (that we NEED, much more than we need another $3M Dman) are named Wheeler or Bergeron. Boston will have cap issues after Wheeler’s arbitration award (July 27) or contract.
Tool
July 22nd, 2010
6:18 pm
I’m offended by your comparison. Tools have a purpose.
World Be Free
July 22nd, 2010
6:24 pm
I would take Frolov over any of the guys available, even Max.
He has the best offensive tools of any player still available.
Stepmniak was hot late last season, but other than that, his numbers were pretty mediocre for the last 2.5 seasons.
Jack
July 22nd, 2010
6:51 pm
BB agreed Kovy was part of the problem not solution. Afterall he is 1 for 9 in playoff games.
ben
July 22nd, 2010
7:06 pm
I have a funny feeling this isn’t the roster we’re going to be looking at in November. As I opined previously I feel that Kovy won’t go to Russia for good. Now that the NHL has told his people that 17 is a hockey number and not a valid year number, perhaps he’ll get more realistic about money. I mean I don’t have a cap number in front of me but this team has got to be below the floor. I, at any rate, feel a trade happening. Something for a scorer. Maybe a few picks to a team like New Jersey. If they do manage to fit Kovy in the cap, they’ll be trading, and not just scrubs and prospects either.
Brendan
July 22nd, 2010
7:14 pm
WBF, bring in Don Luce, too!!
I echoed Joe Friday’s guest blog for the day suggestion of Frolov. But, I also want the guy to WANT to be here. And if he doesn’t, we’ll just have to find someone who is willing to come and play here. Trouble is, his name is Slava Kozlov. Pass!! I’ve seen enough of that. Max would re-sign here, if the deal were 3 years. And we’ve SEEN Max on a 3-year deal. It’s not pretty. You’ll beg for Todd White back. I tease. I kid. I do that, sometimes. Yeah, Andrew Ladd might get paid. But at least Ladd is happy to be here. Ladd wants to be part of the turn-around process. He’s a very “team oriented” type player. I’m glad we got him. I’m sorry Vishnevsky had to go, but hey … that’s the way it goes.
I still say we need to get on the horn to Sweet Lou … to ask about Zajac. I don’t think the NHL will uphold the Kovy deal, as structured. If the Devils are “so sure” and Kovalchuk is “so sure” that he’ll play all the way to 44 years of age, then let Kovy’s ANNUAL SALARY be $6.0 million, for each of his 17 years. And if Kovy retires early, lopping off 4-5 years, then he also lops off $24 to $30 million of the $102 million. That’s fair. And ya know it. Kovalchuk should be plenty motivated to keep himself fit for his 40’s. Etc. If Kovy says, “Well, I don’t see that I should have lose out on that money past age 39,” then that’s your PROOF that the contract is a mockery of the rules. He never intended to play those years. And the NHL was right to question the intent of the contract, which was merely to reduce the amount of the cap hit. Truthfully, I think I’d settle for NJ still having to lose $6 million off its cap hit for all 17 years of the contract. It’s bad business practice to pay out more than you take in. That’s what this Kovalchuk contract does to the NHL’s payroll landscape. It opens the floodgates for all future contracts of marquee players in their 20’s to be these 12 to 15 to 17 year deals, that much no sense, from a business standpoint. The NHL got into trouble because its payscale got horribly out of hand. The NHL must enforce some form of safety-net against excessively front loaded contracts. Again, pay Kovalchuk his $6-a-year for all 17 years, and I think that’s fair. If NJ is okay paying Kovalchuk $6 million a year when he’s 41, 42, 43, and 44, then fine. Great. Can’t argue with it. That’s risky, but nobody put a gun to their head. They made a contract for too many years, like the Islanders with DiPietro, at $4.5 million-a-year, until he turns 40. If Kovalchuk refuses to play out his contract until he’s 44, then the Devils catch a break. His $6 million comes off the books, the moment of his retirement.
Rawhide
July 22nd, 2010
8:09 pm
I have a funny feeling this isn’t the roster we’re going to be looking at in November
ben – Agreed. Dudley and Co. still have a trick or two left before the puck drops this fall. Remember…Afinogenov wasn’t even invited for a pro tryout last year until after camp started.
However, just as with the case when we discuss salary cap issues this is the current roster as I see it. That is why I use it as a snapshot in time as we move forward.
As far as the cap is concerned with the Thrashers, I think once all of the RFAs are signed, we’ll be right above the floor.
World Be Free
July 22nd, 2010
8:47 pm
Get the RFAs signed; I still think the club cap is $50M.
Brendan-Luce, Ramsay and Danny Gare (later Dudley for Gare). One heck of a line at both ends of the rink.
I like Frolov, then Max (2 yr deal) better than any other UFAs out there because they both put pressure on opposing defenses.
goose
July 22nd, 2010
9:16 pm
I know people are hot on Frolov and I would like to see him in thrashers blue as well as he is the is one of the few consistent 20 goal guys out there, but I don’t think that Dudley would sign him unless it was for a song. Frolov is supposed to be a bit of a head case and bad in the locker room. Dudley is trying to build a team with character guys I don’t think that Frolov fits that bill
Badger Bob
July 22nd, 2010
11:35 pm
ben – this team will be comfortably above the cap floor once all the RFAs are signed. Pavs taking a pay cut sure helped, but after you add Ladd, Eager, Bergie and Little (perhaps $9-11M) to our current payroll ($37.4M), we’re not only above the floor, we’re dangerously close to the likely internal cap. Duds knows he’s got room for one more $3M player, so he wants to make sure its the right one, or get someone for a discount.
Of course casting away White’s deadweight $2.4M would also help…
ben
July 23rd, 2010
1:05 am
So 3 + 2.4 is 5.4? Also, Zit comes off the books. But wait? With Kari, Mad Max, Kozzy, Kovy all gone, won’t that drive the payroll down? What is the Salary now?
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
5:36 am
Watch Todd White have a 20 goal season this year-if this happens, will we want to resign him next summer? Just asking…..
DWTOO
July 23rd, 2010
7:26 am
WBF – What’s in your coffee? White could have a 30 goal season and I wouldn’t want him resigned. Perhaps the year after next since he appears to only play every other year.
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
7:34 am
WBF – “Watch Todd White have a 20 goal season this year…”
Let him do that first! Then maybe he has a future…but regardless, it will be somewhere else. Duds wants younger, larger, grittier players.
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
7:35 am
DWTOO-I wonder who would jump on that one first! I am a little bored this morning, thought I would stir the pot. Have a great Friday.
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
7:41 am
The Tomas Kaberle Saga is what’s eating me today. The Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the “class” organizations in the NHL have had the for sale sign on Kaberle the last two seasons. He’s up for grabs until his NTC kicks in on August 15. How would you like to be this guy? I know it’s hard to feel for any professional athlete that gets paid a ton of money for playing a kids’ game. If the Atlanta Thrashers carried this event out as long as the Leafs have, they’d be ridiculed by every media outlet in North America, especially in Canada. But the Leafs can do this and they’re given a pass because they are in a “hockey town”. Trade the guy or commit to keep him-and so many people question the commitment to players and winning in cities like Atlanta, Florida and Carolina. Now we see why legitimate tier 1 UFAs avoid Toronto these days.
Joe Friday
July 23rd, 2010
8:02 am
“Watch Todd White have a 20 goal season this year-if this happens, will we want to resign him next summer?”
Yeah, when donkey’s fly. Wait, what?
I think as soon as Ladd’s salary is set, we’ll see them bring the last piece in.
rob
July 23rd, 2010
8:07 am
Rawhide,
While I see the concern with the goals there are far more variables than just what you have on there. Ice time would be one. With the absence of some of the guys now departed others will play more which would equal more goals. You have to account for Cormier and Kulda(or whoever else comes in and plays some games and scores like Stapleton did) Slater plays all year give him 5 more. Zach is probably good for 5 more with a healthy season(still mad they played him like that last year). Toby should be good for at LEAST 5 more now that his pass buddy Kovy is gone. Hainsey looked a lot better once he and Zach were split, could be 4 more there. Now take into consideration that with Kovy/Kozzy gone A LOT of power play time just opened up and there are more goals to be picked up. I know you say our PP sucked after Kovy left but I have to think that was not the teams fault but the direction given them by a now departed coaching staff. While landing a defensively minded forward who can land us 20 would be great, I think if you look at the bigger picture here, we probably have them here. Mason having a good season is the key to me, and the team has to play as a cohesive unit. Will Buff come in and want to play hard or sulk, that might be another concern.
Bring on Oct. 8th!
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
8:31 am
I knew you would like that one Joe
Spud Webb
July 23rd, 2010
8:37 am
Poor Marty, flipping traded to florida. Heres a guy who busts his butt, low key, all around great guy. Finally going to a winner in chicago and BAM, down to the panthers. Sorry Marty, truly I am.
Rawhide
July 23rd, 2010
8:39 am
Watch Todd White have a 20 goal season this year-if this happens, will we want to resign him next summer? Just asking…..
WBF – If White scored 20 goals this season, he’d simply be doing his job. Again, I’m giving serious consideration to putting him on the milk carton starting right at the beginning of the season…see if that will spark a good start from him.
But even if he does score 20 or more it wouldn’t cause me to want to re-sign him. Remember, he will be 36-years old next May.
rob – Good points you make.
Flames
July 23rd, 2010
8:39 am
Jack-The team is wanting to sign the RFA first. They are trying to avoid going to arbitration on a couple of players. Duds wants to lock in a couple of the players for two-three years. (Ladd, Buff) They believe that time is on their side. Duds will get another scorer…Just who it might be is still to be determined. They believe that they are sitting in a good spot to get a quality player. There is talk around the league that the Thrashers are now heading in the right direction with the current staff and recent acquisition. Can you believe that the Thrashers are getting some respect. I’m hoping for Frolov, but I’m not holding my breath.
Badger Bob
July 23rd, 2010
9:51 am
ben, check out http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=ATL or http://www.capgeek.com/charts.php?Team=7 for full salary info.
Spud, I’m with you on the Marty thing – way too classy and good a guy to get treated like that. I’ve got to believe that Chicago wanted him in the Buff trade, but then realized even his reasonable salary was going to be too much (especially after the Hjalmarsson offer sheet / contract). Giving him away like that makes Bowman look a little erratic.
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
10:13 am
RE all the comments about Marty leaving a ‘Stanley Cup’ team for the Panthers, I rather doubt the Hawks will be serious contenders after their final roster is assembled. I saw yesterday they had 16 players signed, leaving them about $130K in cap space! I mean if they can’t afford Reasoner, they are hurting for sure.
That said, Marty would probably prefer the Hawks over the Panthers for hockey but he and his family can’t be too displeased about living in Miami, at least from a weather standpoint.
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
10:25 am
Sorry, make that $138K available to the Hawks. lol
Jack
July 23rd, 2010
10:28 am
Thanks Flames hopefully they can lock up everyone prior to arbitration. You never know knew regime, maybe white caqn prosper.
Frolov would be intersting pick, just concerned about his Russian defense. IE hope he is better on defense than kchoke.
Badger Bob
July 23rd, 2010
10:37 am
Hawks are looking much more ordinary, and they’ll likely need one more move after they sign Niemi and bury Huet in the AHL.
Here’s an agrument for patience for all us posters with Dudley. Consider that Chicago is acting even more desperate now than in June (giving away Marty now, vs. insisting on fair value for Buff in June). This kind of desperation will be taking hold there and in Boston, so prices will continue to drop. Mix that in with some quality UFAs still available, and it is a dream buyers market for a top 9 20 goal player.
Also, Rawhide, I noticed I got the “your comment is awaiting approval” or some such message when I posted those links this morning. Nice! That should stop the “Trixie release my post” requests. First Twitter, now this? You are getting to be Mr. Techie!
rob
July 23rd, 2010
10:55 am
138K?!?! Maybe CMac should contact them now that he is free!
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
10:58 am
A few years ago, we always got the “your comment is awaiting approval” type of message. Your comment might take 5 minutes to actually get posted. So you would post and then it was necessary to refresh a few minutes to see your comment.
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
10:59 am
Badger – you raise a very good point about Boston. The Wheeler RFA hearing, if it gets to that point, could be the turning point of the offseason. BOS does not want to lose him and after they ante up to keep him in the fold, something will have to give. Perhaps they will wind up “giving” us a player of Bergeron’s caliber now that they have Seguin.
They will need picks and prospects, but trading with us won’t be as attractive as trading with Tronna last year (since we might actually be good). Who knows? We might even dangle Postma and Espo along with a 1st rounder to get Bergeron. I think I’d do that. Antro could move back to the wing and a Bergie-Bergee(accent aigue)-Antro line could be very, very lethal.
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
11:54 am
Dallas Stars forward Fabian Brunnstrom avoided arbitration by taking a 1 year deal at $675,000/year. You can’t get much less than that! I guess Fabian, the one-hit wonder with the Stars was worried about getting NHL minimum wage.
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
12:04 pm
WBF – I guess you could say his “star” has fallen in Dallas, eh?
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
12:15 pm
The only thing real bad is that Fabian decided on Dallas over Tronna. As it turns out, it would have better to have him with the Leafs. Brunnstrom would have been one more slug the Leafs would have overpaid then had to get rid of. This was back in the John Ferguson Jr days-he loved to overpay players!
da' boomer
July 23rd, 2010
12:57 pm
Bring back Billy Jaffe!!!
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
12:59 pm
Billy Jaffe was flat-out “Wanged” and that isn’t right. He was money.
Would love to have him back, but with Daren entrenched, we got no room for BJ except for the radio booth, but I doubt he would want to go backwards into radio. Especially working for those chumps at 680.
rob
July 23rd, 2010
1:20 pm
Speaking of 680……anyone know where I can get a bumper sticker so I can put SUCKS on it in permanent marker and put it on my truck? Didnt see any on the websight…..maybe if they are out doing something I can get one?
R. Stroz
July 23rd, 2010
2:02 pm
Watch Todd White have a 20 goal season this year-if this happens, will we want to resign him next summer? Just asking…..
WBF – You must be suffering from premature imbibing disorder going into the weekend.
rob
July 23rd, 2010
2:18 pm
If that happens, his next team can sign him to a deal that goes up and down every year in prep for his output. 2M, then 600k, then 2M, then 600k
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
2:21 pm
Stroz-you’re late today, expected you to respond before anyone else!
I am not serious, just wanted to rattle everyone’s cage today, slow hockey news day today.
R. Stroz
July 23rd, 2010
2:30 pm
WBF – Mrs. R. Stroz had a rather significant medical procedure early today.
All is well, she is sleeping away.
Badger Bob
July 23rd, 2010
2:33 pm
“We might even dangle Postma and Espo along with a 1st rounder to get Bergeron.” Patrice only has one year left on his contract, so while that price might be fair normally, with BOS needing to move someone that price it too steep – at least the Postma part of it – we’d regret losing him.
Rawhide
July 23rd, 2010
2:38 pm
Since the subject of what Todd White’s offensive production may/may not be this coming season was brought up…I though it might be interesting to allow you all to have a look back to last summer to review what was said around here regarding White’s possible 2009-10 season totals.
I know…obvioulsy I didn’t consult the “Official Blog Manual” back then either when it came to what topics should or should not be discussed.
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
3:39 pm
Wow! I was drinkin’ some seriously spiked Little White Russian kool-aid!
And is / was EOB really timmyf!!? I kid, I kid.
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
3:44 pm
Rawhide, you set the over/under at 65. I took the under. I just wasn’t expecting it to be waaay under. Todder had an underwhelming 26 points (7 + 19) in 65 games.
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
3:50 pm
Yeah Smoothie, you said back then “No doubt Hokie, the Tampons could be really tuff this year if the chemistry is there.”
It’s hard to predict things, isn’t it, Smoothie? The Bolts weren’t quite tuff enough. People are saying similar things now about thieir upcoming season, at least offensively.
World Be Free
July 23rd, 2010
4:08 pm
Good to hear Stroz
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
4:20 pm
kracker – no doubt but at least I qualified my statement with “if the chemistry is there”. Obviously, chemistry was lacking or Tanguay simply went the way of the Charmin…down the tubes!
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
4:35 pm
Yeah Smoothie, you did and I could have worded that better. It wasn’t a prediction (Brendan keeps the official predictions lol), just us talking on the blog like always. And I felt the same way, mostly because they are a div foe and I always worry about who is going to get better in the division.
kracker
July 23rd, 2010
4:45 pm
I just figured out your ‘EOB/timmyf’ comment! lol
Anyway, like Walter says in “The Big Lebowski” ‘Ah, (eff) it dude, let’s go bowling!’ The ASHE tourney is coming up next month so I have to practice.
Red Light
July 23rd, 2010
4:59 pm
As long as you all continue to pile on Todd White, in order to reach the 20-goal plateau as World Be Free mentioned earlier, I did a quick calculation on what would have to occur to make that happen based upon his post-lockout statistics.
Todd has averaged 15 goals per season during the past 5 seasons, during which he has averaged 72 games played per season and 17:01 of ice time per game. Thus, he has scored one goal for every 81:35 of ice time during the past 5 seasons. That means that in order for him to score 20 goals this season, Coach Ramsay will have to send him over the boards an average of 22:40 per game for 72 games to reach that lofty goal.
By the way, based upon last season’s stats, that would make him No. 1 among forwards in ice time in the entire NHL, or 38 seconds above Kovalchuk’s per-game mark in 2009-10.
Could happen!
SARCASM ALERT
July 23rd, 2010
5:00 pm
See above
Red Light
July 23rd, 2010
5:03 pm
Here is a question that has been nagging me for years. Let me know if you’ve ever wondered the same…
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/9545
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
5:04 pm
Bowling! Yes, love it. We should have a Rawhide’s Rowdies Bowling Tourney at some point to kick off the season. Perhaps during Training Camp in Sept??
Red Light
July 23rd, 2010
5:17 pm
Glad to hear Mrs. R. Stroz is resting comfortably.
I hope we can all assume that vuvuzela practice at the R. Stroz household has been canceled until further notice.
R. Stroz
July 23rd, 2010
5:39 pm
WBF & Red Light – Thanks for your thoughts concerning Mrs. R. Stroz
Red Light – Vuvuzela practice has been postponed for a few weeks.
Smoothie – I’m in for bowling. FWIW, I’d prefer U.S. Play in Kennesaw
Midfield
July 23rd, 2010
5:55 pm
NHL is reported to partner with 20th Century Fox in produsing a Star Wars sequal starring Jay Grossman as Darth Vader, Garry Bettman as Yoda and Ilya Kovalchuk as Prince Lee Organ.
Brendan
July 23rd, 2010
6:07 pm
If beer drinking can enhance performance in a sport, that sport is surely bowling. At least, I think so. Those pins are a long ways down the lane. Those 12 pins look more like 15, if you’ve have a few. I tells ya, a 160 bowler turns into a 220 bowler after a few pitchers.
kracker, I only keep official AJC contest predictions. If someone said, “Let’s see if Zach Bogosian actually scores 20 goals this year,” I might make a mental note of it, at best. We don’t have any active contests yet this year.
Rubbin’ my chin, but we *might* do a “Guess the 2010 Opening Night Budget” contest. If so, the guesses would pretty much have to be submitted by September 1, with the understanding that a specific website for hockey would be used as the “official determinant” of the contest winner, as based on that particular website’s figure for the Atlanta Thrashers. And no, the 9-game audition figure doesn’t get retroactively figured into the contest. As per every year, the contest winner has been determined by guessing the closest figure to actual posted salary cap for the Thrashers. People sometimes got very worked up over whether they had won, based on a different website’s figures, or if we substracted the 9-game audition situations, etc. But, honestly, the whole, entire point of the “Guess the Budget” contest was to show what kind of ownership we have, here in Atlanta. With the emphasis being on just how close the Thrashers could be to the FLOOR of the cap. What could be a bigger beacon for potential free agents to sign here … than our ownership’s commitment to the pursuit of the Cup, via its budget. **Note, this is the time when you should put a metal soup pot over your head, grab a wooden spoon … and bang it loudly enough to drown out the sound of the next sentence, a la Forest Gump saying, “Life’s like a box of chocolates” for the umpteenth time, for a poster will surely arrive to indicate, (say it with me,) “Just because a team spends a lot of money doesn’t mean it will be successful. Just look at the (Supply team name to illustrate futility in spending here).” Okay, now you can stop banging.
I am, however, much more confident that we will actually do the “Guess the 2010-11 Thrashers point total contest” this year. It has been fairly popular throughout this message board over the years. We had many, many guesses last year. It sometimes comes down to the “tie-breakers.” As in, “2nd in Southeast Division, 10th in conference.” Some posters actually predict a win total to help distinguish their guess from other posters who have guessed the same total of 85-points, for example. The deadline for contest entries is always “puck drop” of Opening Night.
The “Guess the Date/Team Kovalchuk signs with” contest had no winner … because none of us guessed right. And while Kovalchuk does, technically, remain un-signed, no poster had New Jersey as the destination. Some posters picked Washington and New York (Rangers). No one selected the KHL. I remain confident, however, that R.Stroztradamus will submit an un-authorized late entry that will be DEAD ON correct. His accuracy is legendary. I’ve never quite seen anything like it.
Brendan
July 23rd, 2010
6:09 pm
R.Stroz, best wishes for a speedy recovery for your better half.
Joe Friday
July 23rd, 2010
6:38 pm
said a prayer for her, stroz!
lol: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Eulogy-Hilariously-outrageous-Twitter-ramblings?urn=nhl-257447
Smoothie
July 23rd, 2010
6:42 pm
Yes indeed, where’s my head?
Stroz, sincerest wishes for your wife’s speedy recovery to full health so she can wrestle those vuvuzelas out of your clenched hands! God bless!
Alan R.
July 23rd, 2010
7:08 pm
If beer drinking can enhance performance in a sport, that sport is surely bowling. At least, I think so. Those pins are a long ways down the lane. Those 12 pins look more like 15, if you’ve have a few.
You got started a little early, didn’t you?
(Psst… there’s only 10 pins)
what the puck
July 23rd, 2010
8:28 pm
Hi guys its good to finally be back on the blog. First comment I want to make is that sense your now on twitter Mr.rawhide maybe you can teach rstroz how to do that as well (hes a hold out from most things like that what a shocker huh ?). The second thing I want to say is that I hope that we resign afinogenov because it would really stink if we lost him too after losing hossa and kovy. The third thing I wanted to say was that I hope we do better overall this season and actually make it past the first round of the playoff’s. This is for two reasons, the first is that I want to see them to well because they have struggled the last few seasons. The second reason is I want more fans in the arena at games so that I can sell more pictures at the auction table.
Anyway its great to be back, and lets have a better season this year!!!! ASG make it Happen!!!! LETS GO THRASHERS
what the puck
July 23rd, 2010
8:36 pm
oh and as a after thought, the vuvuzelas that rstroz has are not really much louder than he can already scream with his bullhorn, then again maybe hes not using them right or they are just to cheap (shrugs). oh well just thought id share that lol.
Brendan
July 24th, 2010
1:23 am
Alan R., I was hoping someone would catch that. Sometimes, I don’t know how well some posts resonate. When a drunk says, “ossifer,” when pulled over by police, the other drunks in the car think it’s perfectly correct.
Alan R.
July 24th, 2010
2:00 am
+1 Brendan.
Putting On The Foil
July 24th, 2010
8:46 am
Not holding my breath on Little returning to two years ago form. Hope I’m wrong. Frolov would definitely cut the deficit at least in half. And if Toby would shoot the damn puck more, he could help out the deficit from the defensive side. As Brendan stated also, Zajac would also look nice in a Thrasher’s jersey.
Tony C.
July 24th, 2010
9:27 am
I want Todd White to have a decent-to-good first half…so we can get better return when we trade him.
Seriously, though he may see a significant rise in his production… that isn’t a troop of Smurfs that Dudley’s got going on… Should be more room for White to operate.
I don’t think he’s a bad player, but I also don’t think of him as a top-6 centRe. Yet another player mis-slotted by necessity-like Metropolit (who I’d take over White BTW). This organization’s infamous for getting lower-tier players and asking them to play over their head…. sometimes it works (see: Savard), but usually it’s painful to watch (see:every other journeyman/fizzled prospect we’ve traded for or UFA’d).
Dwayne
July 24th, 2010
10:10 am
Here is what I said about Todd White last year…….
Over on that 65 Bill, mark it down. Kovy will have a huge year with White and Antro. Here is my logic on this, Kovy is on a contract year, he will have the big “C” on his chest for all year, he asked for help, I believe he has it now. Russian talked about pride from Russian players, lets see it from start to finish. Pevs centering Little and Kozzy will be fine. To me, all 4 lines are what they need to be, its all about the “D” and Stendecs favorite goalie….Kari.
I feel like I deserve a beatdown.
rob
July 24th, 2010
10:29 am
Well Dwayne,
In your defense I would hate to see a fellow blogger beat down soooooo. Who could have predicted Kovalsux stoppage after crying he wanted Antro and getting him? They started out the season good enough until 17 decided he couldn’t go the distance. Kozzy saw the backlash coming and stood up for Kovalsux and was promptly put in his place too. Taking that into consideration, maybe you can get a pass this one time. LMAO
ben
July 24th, 2010
12:34 pm
This team will be at .500 at years end.
Bluenote
July 24th, 2010
5:55 pm
Speedy recovery and good kharma to Mrs Stroz in vuvuzela-free zone
Brendan
July 24th, 2010
8:24 pm
Any news on a restructured, non-fraudulent Kovalchuk deal? Or are they fighting this on the grounds that they want to deal to stand, “as is?”
World Be Free
July 25th, 2010
10:32 am
All this talk about Kovalchuk playing until he’s 44-does anyone really believe that Kovalchuk will play for $550,000/season at any point in his career? I didn’t think so.
Paul Mara is being suggested as a depth defenseman for the Thrash. I have never been a Mara fan, he seems to have washed out wherever he has been, Rangers, Yotes and now Habs. Maybe if you can get him cheap, but if I had the option I would bring back Schubert.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
12:45 pm
WBF, imagine it with me. Ilya’s 42, 43, 44 … and actually telling his wife and kids, “Sorry, family. The $148 million career earnings I’ve made AREN’T enough to sustain us. I’m going to spend the next 7 to 9 months, depending on playoffs, playing for the 2010 equivalent of $269,500. And it might be less than that in 2010 dollars. Ilya Kovalchuk puts that much through his pockets in the laundry. I don’t think Ilya will pull a Favre, and not know when to quit. If he hasn’t won a cup in the first 10 years of this contract, in New Jersey, he’ll have to seek a trade to win it. For he’d be 37 years of age by then. And desperate enough to waive his NTC. Then again, who wants to pick up a 37 year old with seven years left on his contract, potentially hitting your cap? Then again, NJ may not want to trade him. If the Devils are in the tank, they at least need something to draw fans into their venue. Just a thought. But the thing can’t do … is fail to win the Cup. He’s committed too many years to NJ to realistically expect another team to pick up his contract in a trade. Unless it’s in the next few seasons.
rob
July 25th, 2010
2:38 pm
I was shopping with the family in the local Dallas Wally World last night and as we passed by the TVs, we all stopped in amazement. There on the TV was hockey!!! Top 10 plays going across the TV, we all just watched oh-ing and ah-ing. My wife says come on let’s finish so we can leave, and the kids and I in unison say Wait!!!! LMAO Not what I would have believed I would have seen at the local Dallas Wally World that is for sure!
Thrashers27
July 25th, 2010
3:17 pm
I can’t believe Eklund didn’t catch this one, but big news in Thrasherville…Natalie Taylor will not be with us for the ‘10-’11 season. She is now a reporter for the Fox affiliate in Columbus, OH.
Now, can we get somebody in that position who actually understands and appreciates the game? He, or she can be as ugly as LAC, or Stendec, just make sure they understand the game and don’t asked obviously canned questions of the players.
kracker
July 25th, 2010
3:57 pm
I echo the sentiments of all. I wish a speedy recovery for Mrs R Stroz.
kracker
July 25th, 2010
3:58 pm
Bring back Erin Andrews!
World Be Free
July 25th, 2010
4:20 pm
Thrash27-thanks for bringing up Natalie Taylor. Best of luck to Natalie in here new job. I agree that she wasn’t that good, but she’s a nice girl and I still wish her the best.
rob-all is not lost here in the ATL, Dallas included though being out there really surprised me!
Brendan, I don’t think Lou expects Kovy to play for $550,000/year. He’s doing the Zhitnik thing-pay the guys for not playing just so they can have him for a bunch of years in his prime. Then there’s what you have noted-being away from his family for “peanuts”. Does he have a NTC as well? All that $$$ and a NTC! Some folks are using Mark Recchi as a comparison, cause Reccs is playing at 42. There’s no comparison between the 2 players.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
4:37 pm
Thrashers27, I noticed Natalie Taylor’s twitter page linked to this message board. I was about to go check it out, but your news is all I need to know. I wish her well. Sincerely. She tried her level-best, and, I think, she actually made strides of improvement this past season. I forgot where she’s from, but if it is Ohio, I hope it’s a happy homecoming for her.
WBF, the way I see the Kovy deal is simply as follows. “It’s straight-up Fraud.” There is a clear, willful misrepresentation of intent to play, both on the part of Sweet Lou and Ilya. But I certainly don’t blame them, or Grossman, for TRYING to pull it off. I’m tellin’ ya now, if this contract is upheld, John Tavares will be gone, with the Islanders only compensation being 4 ‘throw-away’ first rounders. What would stop it? I suppose … the Islanders could match the $121.25 million over 25 years, for the meager cap hit of $4.85 million. It’ll pay Tavares until he’s 45. Rubbin’ my chin, Charles Wang might actually match that offer. Actually, what am I saying? He’ll PROPOSE that contract!!!
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
4:38 pm
Rob, I saw the same highlight package in my local Wal-Mart. I was stunned, too!
World Be Free
July 25th, 2010
5:03 pm
I believe Natalie is form Ohio, so she’s going home. Good for her.
Brendan, I just didn’t think Lou would stoop so low, considering his standing in the league and his involvement with the collective bargaining negotiations. His recent actions are not in the best interests of the league.
rob
July 25th, 2010
5:28 pm
Brendan,
glad someone could back me up on that so everyone didnt think I was drunk or something!!!!
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
5:33 pm
I agree with you there, WBF. Any business that overpays for inventory is running itself quickly out of business. It’d be one thing, if the Devils ‘could’ actually see some savings from this deal. But to do that, Ilya would have to play all 17 years, and do so at a high rate of ability. And I cannot see that happening, when Kovy is 42, 43, and 44. Therefore, the Devils are NOT economizing.
It’d be another thing is the Devils and Kovalchuk could agree to $6 million-per-year. That’s getting Kovy for a savings, not only NOW, but 10 years from now. At 37, Kovalchuk will probably still be seen as a ’steal’ for $6 million. Especially, due to inflation. Has any of this happened? No!! Obviously, not. So, your valid is right on the money. This contract, as well as Hossa’s and Luongo’s, is bad for the league. I think Bettman should have interceded right from DiPietro contract, coming out of the lockout. Wang was the 1st owner to try to abuse the CBA in this fashion. But he was thinking that he had himself an $8 million-a-year goalie, who he’d only have to pay $4.5 million to … for the rest of his career. Or, at least, until DiPietro turned 40.
Mikey
July 25th, 2010
5:33 pm
Maybe they could get Rawhide to do the “keys to the game” and intermission reports?
Best wishes to your wife R. Stroz. I am sure she is being well-cared for by you.
I like the Pavelec signing. Pavs hasn’t exactly shown me that much and I’m glad Dudley brought in Mason. But $2.3 million for 2 years is a good deal.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
5:34 pm
Rob, even if you were drunk, it’s permitted under the CBA for fans.
World Be Free
July 25th, 2010
7:36 pm
Brendan, you watch-Vancouver, New Jersey, The Islanders and few other clubs will want to make changes in future collective bargaining agreements to get relief on these long term contracts. As the contracts getting closer to the end, the clubs will want to string out the commitment for departed players like DiPietro and Kovalchuk even further, reducing their burden at the back end of these contracts. NJ will be paying for Kovalchuk when he’s playing on old-timer games.
If these contracts become more common, it will be hard for owners to cry money foul to Bettman or any future commissioner. The agents will see this too-not good for the league.
Putting On The Foil
July 25th, 2010
9:43 pm
God I miss Erin too.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
9:50 pm
WBF, I totally agree with your position. There’s good business, and there’s bad business. Deals like Kovalchuk’s, DiPietro’s, Hossa’s, and Luongo’s … are bad business. But at least DePietro’s wasn’t complete and utter fraud. I don’t buy Hossa playing until he’s 42.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
10:20 pm
Ya know, I wasn’t gonna do this next post. But I cannot not speak my mind on Erin Andrews. Deep breathe, awaiting slings and arrows, but I’m just about had it with Erin Andrews. Okay, look. Fine. She’s hot. I get it. I admired her beauty, too. But I didn’t download the unauthorized invasion of her privacy. And I’m kinda, sorta glad that people who did got viruses on their PC’s.
(Pause) … And it would have been “fine” … if it ended there. But it didn’t. It’s one thing to be deeply hurt, and issue a statement requesting privacy, and to evoke feelings of sympathy. That’s 100% cool with me. But then … INEXPLICABLY … weeks later, she FELT she HAD TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
Piqued, I naturally thought, “What’s left to ’set straight?’ She was in a hotel, with a reasonable expectation of privacy, which was clearly invaded, then made public. So, when I heard, “I gotta go on Oprah … to tell the ‘real story,’ I naturally thought I was about to hear a bombshell! Instead, what I heard was … “I was in a hotel, videotaped without my knowledge. And I feel totally violated.”
Ummmmn. O-kayyyy. And that was DIFFERENT from BEFORE, how-n-why? How was the record ’set straight?’ Who was questioning her account of the things that transpired? Well, apparently, some idiot went on to a message board to suggest she was a ‘willing participant’ in all this, and it was designed to heighten awareness of her career, or possibly be a springboard to a photoshoot with Playboy. That’s when … I just about LOST IT. Why would Erin Andrews lend credibility to a dufous on a message board? Who would even take that seriously, anyway? If you or I went onto a message board to suggest Ghandi wasn’t really fasting … that he was … INSTEAD … bulemic. People would laugh at us, and pretty mightily. And after the chuckle, they’d be OFFENDED. As in, “royally offended.”
Okay … so Erin’s on Oprah to ‘clear the air,’ AS IF it needed to be. But it’s STILLLLL not over. Erin is now suing the hotel chain for ALLOWING these conditions to have ever been present in the first place. That’s what I read, anyway. I haven’t seen the suit, obviously. Nor will I. Sigh. Isn’t this a bit much? No, really? I think it’s a terrible shame what that fine young lady endured. But, she could have just let it die. And it would have. It would have faded into the great vast nothingness. But instead, the memory lingers. And I have to ask, “why?” Does ANYBODY think the hotel TRIED to promote ‘nudie cams’ … or encourage peeping Toms? C’mon. The sign out front doesn’t say, “Some real hotties, and celebrities, are here tonight. Grab your cams! Perverts gets 25% off regular rate. Plenty of vacancy.”
I think Erin Andrews is a decent person. I think Erin Andrews is good at what she does. She’s at least ‘adequate.’ I don’t understand why she doesn’t just try to be Erin Andrews, instead of “Erin Andrews, scorned sideline reporter.” Does she really need to the “face” of the Privacy Awareness movement? Why can’t this all just fade away? It was over within days, perhaps weeks, of its happening. Does anyone agree?
Dwayne
July 25th, 2010
10:21 pm
If Recchi can play at 42, Kovy can also. It’s not hard to figure 8, hit no one, not battle for pucks, not play D and cherry pick.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
10:26 pm
Dwayne, and Kovy would be away from his family, after earning over $145 million in his career, for seven to nine months … to collect $550,000? At that age, if he wanted to keep playing, he could a local beer league.
Dwayne
July 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
Then Erin goes on “Dancing wit da Stars” with some mighty skimpy outfits, which is ok by me, but….after all the crap she took. She is cashing in on the peeping tom thing, that is obvious. Let the sleeping dog lie, it will be quiet, keep kicking the dog an he will holler and Vick will be your best friend. Is that what you want…Erin???
Dwayne
July 25th, 2010
10:34 pm
by then Kovy would have dumped his wife and marrie some 20 something year old hottie and will need the extra income to keep her in the life style he has become accustomed too.
Dwayne
July 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
*she*
World Be Free
July 25th, 2010
10:54 pm
Brenden-especially since Hossa isn’t chasing the Cup anymore.
Brendan
July 25th, 2010
11:23 pm
WBF, the only way Hossa is still playing at 42 … is if he’s lost all his money in some real estate venture. Or, maybe, that he wants “one more Cup” before he retires. Which, I think, is Mark Recchi’s motivation. In 1992, Recchi was traded away from Pittsburgh before he could win a second-straight Cup with Mario, Jagr and the Penguins. He did win another Cup with Carolina, in 2006. But he’d probably love to go out with a third ring.
kracker
July 26th, 2010
8:21 am
Chew on this:
If Kovalchuk and Grossman really think that cap-evading contract is fairly structured, then let them reverse the payment schedule, and have K’chuk (and Grossman) earning $550K the first 5 years!
Anyone think that would ever happen??
Dwayne
July 26th, 2010
11:13 am
74 days till the puck drops for real!!!
Zombie Steve
July 26th, 2010
11:31 am
Anyone else think Buff goal projections are a little on the low side?? Keep in mind that he played a defensive D-man for a chunk of time with the Hawks last year. I can see Buff at 20-22 goals, maybe even keeping pace with Antropov’s goal numbers….
Unrelated…. of Kovie becomes a Ranger, I’m disowning him.
Brendan
July 26th, 2010
11:41 am
kracker, absolutely not. What I’d propose is that Kovalchuk be paid his actual cap hit, $6 million-per-year, for all 17 years. That seems fair. The Devils underpay Kovy through his prime years, but overpay him at the end. And if Kovy retires before his contract expires, he forfeits the $6 million-a-year he would otherwise be earning in 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027. It all still totals $102 million, if Kovy plays out those 17 years. If Kovy got an NMC, then they cannot even stash him in the minors, if he’s a flop past 40. He’d be sitting in the presser, at $6 milllion per annum.
The reason Kovalchuk would not agree to that … resides in Kovy’s desire to be, however temporarily, the “highest paid player” in the NHL. But if Ilya truly wanted to help the Devils field a decent team around him, he’d accept $6 million per year. And screw what other think of him, with comments like, “Oh, he left millions on the table with the Islanders, Thrashers, etc.” UFA’s play where they want to be. I’ll admit it, I thought Kovy wanted L.A. more. NJ is perceived to be a better contender, with recent Cups and CF appearances in their history, with a Hall of Fame GM at the helm. If Kovy wants to stay in NJ, to win Cups, I’m fine with it. It’s up to him to cut the Devils a break, financially, so that the team around him can be better. I’ve always said, “Kovy doesn’t need the first nickel of this contract. He’s already set for life.” This is just ego.
If it were just about money, I think the Islanders put forth the highest cap hit offer, at 10-years/$100 million. He didn’t take it, anymore than he’d take 12-years/$135 million from the Columbus Blue Jackets, if offered. I don’t think it’s exclusively about the money. Even if the Devils offer is upheld, he’s working essentially for peanuts in the final 5 years of the contract. Looking at the Islanders offer, they were willing to pay him $100 million for 10 years. Which means he’s going to work in NJ for $2 million over the next 7 years, compared to the Islanders deal.
Zombie Steve
July 26th, 2010
11:42 am
Bredan- concerning Erin Andrews, I got two words for you: book deal.
These days, if you make enough noise about something and enough people actually care about it, you can write 200-300 pages of nonsense about it, find a publisher, and cash in.
ben
July 26th, 2010
11:50 am
Kovy is going to play for the Devs, TO, MTL, no one else can afford him. If Kovy were to land in a market where people came out in droves to see 1 player, then it makes all the sense in the world to ink the man to a front-loaded, max-cap deal. This is a big-market Canadian team or a northeastern team. There is no way Minny could afford him.
In other news, I would be totally shocked if this team made the playoffs next year. Having said that, I think this team is in much better shape than last year. We at last have a legit front-line goalie. That’ll make a world of difference.
Zombie Steve
July 26th, 2010
11:52 am
Ben…. the team last year nearly made the playoffs. This year’s team is going to be a drastic improvement. Why would you be totally shocked if we made the playoffs?? (let forget about the fact that we’ve only made them once in our 10 year history) =D
Midfield
July 26th, 2010
11:59 am
What I hope will really makes a difference is coaching. I’m totally with Kozlov on this: Anderson and his crew were a “bunch of amatures” (courtesy Walter Sobchuck).
In other news, Poppy’s a little sloppy:
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/espn-report-shows-food-578595.html
World Be Free
July 26th, 2010
12:10 pm
Zombie-I think Buff will have a slow start, then become a force.
Everybody better remember him slammin’ Pronger in the finals last season.
Rawhide
July 26th, 2010
12:25 pm
I hope everyone had a great wekend…but a new week brings with it a new blog.
Brendan
July 26th, 2010
12:52 pm
Zombie Steve, I’m not buyin’ that book. I don’t even care if Erin included copyrighted ’still frame’ images of her selfish from the unauthorized video. I want to reaffirm that I like Erin Andrews. But she’s taken this from beyond mere ‘victimization.’
I honestly would have that book collects dust on the shelves. I don’t want to use the phrase, “she doth protest too much,” as I’m not entirely sure it’s applicable. But if this event was as troubling as it initially appeared for her, why would be CAUSING more attention to be brought to it? Something doesn’t add up, on that count.
I wish Erin Andrews nothing but the best for her life and career. I just wish she’d let this story die already.
Zombie Steve
July 26th, 2010
1:38 pm
agreed