THE AFTERMATH - NHL FA 2012

Finally some major movement...here's my ramblings on the aftermath of the NHL Free Agency summer of 2012.

Rick Nash

So after all the hype did Columbus GM Howson get the right deal? I don’t think it was the right deal but it was the only deal that was remaining.

The New York Rangers finally pulled off the deal to bring big hype FA Rick Nash to the Big Apple. Ranger fans are ecstatic and Nash is too!

The DEAL: The Rangers acquired F Rick Nash, D Steven Delisle and a conditional third-round pick from Columbus for F Artem Anisimov and F Brandon Dubinsky, D Tim Erixon and a first-round pick in 2013.

And I don’t mean to be rude but the only guy that CBJ is getting that I have heard of is Dubinsky. Neither Dubinsky, 26, nor Anisimov, 24, are considered stars in the making. The Rangers didn’t have to give up Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider or Michael Del Zotto. This is a big win for NYR because they added without losing any key pieces and now will run harder for the Cup.

It looks like the Rangers won this deal by a landslide because they got a top 3 forward and didn’t even give up a top 6 forward in return. But we won’t know who won this deal until 3-5 years down the road.

But the pressure is on…yes it’s all smiles now but Nash needs to produce to make his $7 million worth every penny. You got all the good line mates. There's no excuses. I think he should score 70-80 pts and if not the regular season was a fail. But maybe he produces in the playoffs and all is forgiven.

Supposedly Vancouver offered Raymond, Ballard and Schneider for Nash. Philly jumped out and went after Weber (way smarter move as Weber "would have been" a better addition). Howson got stuck with lame buyers. He should have moved him at the deadline or the draft. Would have, could have, should have. Like I always say, "Hindsight is 20/20".

Imagine being a Blue Jackets season ticket holder? OUCH! They have made the playoffs once so far. When will they make it now?

Shea Webber

The Flyers go out and make a HUGE splash getting Webber to sign an offer sheet of $110 million over 14 years. And I know people are hating the fact that the Flyers keep doing this but it’s legal. It’s part of the rules. Anyone has the right to do it. They didn’t force Webber to sign it but he willingly did. The truth is, it’s never worked for Philly. They tried to get Kesler but the Canucks matched it offer and now Weber stays as a Predator for the rest of his career.

Nashville had no choice but to match the offer. You can’t lose Suter AND Weber in the same year. I admit the money offered is insane and it hurts Nashville for having to sign him for such high $ but they made a statement by stepping up to the plate. They said, “We are not going to get bullied” and “we are a legitimate NHL franchise”! If they lost Weber who would come as a FA? You got to have a respectable team and keeping Weber keeps them respectable and competitive.

Although the Flyers are disappointed that they didn’t land Weber what’s probably more important is they didn’t give up Couturier or B.Schenn. Giving up 4 1^st rd picks would have hurt but not that much. It was worth the gamble. To me this looks like Pronger is done.

Roberto Luongo

It’s all quiet on the Western Front. I am worried that the longer they wait to make a deal the more it’s going to be like the Rick Nash deal. And the longer this goes the more I think Luongo will be with Vancouver on opening day. I still trust Gillis but I think he’s asking for too much in return. Hopefully he learns from Howson’s mistakes.

Shane Doan

Supposedly Shane wants to stay in Phoenix and gives until Friday to find out what the Coyote situation is going to be like. Shane, listen to me, run for the hills. Get out of Phoenix. Try to win a Cup. The teams reportedly interested are Pitts, Det, Montreal, Van, and of course Philly & NYR (the two teams whom seem to be in every big FA deal). Shane all those teams with the exception of Montreal would be really exciting places to sign with. When’s the last time the Coyotes were contenders? Never! Stop being a hero and move on!

Alexander Semin

So is Semin just laying low then going to get his big $ once Shane Doan signs? Probably. Semin is going to help a team out whether he goes but he should be looking to go somewhere where they can compete and contend. Supposedly the Red Wings are a nice fit but time will tell. He's going to get $6-7 million a year but he's not worth it.

Of course I could be wrong but I doubt it. 

So many crazy things have shaken down this NFL offseason: 

1. Trouble

a) the "bounty scandal" has been the biggest news of the offseason. And the NFL came down with a MASSIVE punishment. Coach Payton suspended for the year. Vilma suspended. Former Def Coordinator G.Williams suspended INDEFINITELY. If it's true, good for the NFL for punishing those people responsible and sending a message to the rest of the league. 

b) Marshawn Lynch got arrested today for being suspicious of a DUI. So they couldn't prove it? They proved he was over the legal limit. According to NFL.com he's got a history with issues. 

Lynch, a former Cal star, previously had his license revoked in 2008 for failure to exercise due care toward a pedestrian after he hit a 27-year-old woman and kept driving. In 2009, Lynch was suspended for three games after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge.

In March, he signed a 4 year $31 million deal with the Seahawks and the deal include $18 million in guaranteed $. Not everything is quite on the Western Front. 

c) Supposedly A.Peterson push an under cover police man and rested arrest. 

d) Even worse, Dez Bryant WR for the most popular team in football was arrested for Domestic Family Violence charge. When questioned, his answer was, "I'm good. I'm good." Well Dez it's not you who were are worried about. It's your wife (or girlfriend) NO WAIT, it's your mom!. A man should never hit his girl and ESPECIALLY his mom. 
NFL.com says he's got some history as well.

Last year, he faced two lawsuits that sought in excess of $800,000 in unpaid bills. There was also an incident at a Dallas mall over low-hanging jeans. Bryant later apologized.  

2. Signings

a) Ray Rice signs a 5 yr deal for $8 mil per season. Great signing and for decent $.

b) Matt Forte signs a 4 yr deal for $8 mil per season as well. Weird since they signed M.Bush as big time insurance and a great option if Forte gets hurt. 

c) the biggest signing EVER was Drew Brees.$100 million ($20 mil a season). Insane #'s but he brings stability and he's a proven stud. He's won a SB with the Saints and broke records, good things to do before going to contract negotiations. :)

d) Peyton Manning gets cut by the Colts?! Then he signs with the Broncos! Which caused a snow ball affect with moving Tim "Miracle Man" Tebow to the NY Jets? 

Like I said, CRAZY offseason! 

Minnesota gets the 2 best available FREE AGENTS.

I guess the NHL isn't in a recession like the rest of us who are scraping by. Today Parise and Suter BOTH sign with Minnesota!!! Both get $98 million over 13 long years. A cap hit of $7.538 million. 


This is insane. People are asking, "Why Minnesota?" 
1. No one goes to Minnesota except for the cash. 
2. I guess Parise is from Minnesota and his parents still live there and his fiancée is from North Dakota and they are getting married this summer. 
3. Darren Dreger tweeted, "Wild players ecstatic. Heatley says he spoke with Suter 2 nights ago and swapped texts with Parise. Both asked: can we win. Answer: yes."
Okay honestly, what's Heatley going to say? We have no chance in Minnesota even if you come! haha


Are these guys over paid? Oh yeah! If Parise and Suter get this much $ how much more would Malkin, Giroux, or Stamkos get if they hit the open market? 


And another thing...they are 13 LONG year contracts. Both players are 27 so they will be 40 when the contracts end. Good for the player bad for the team if they are mediocre. Look at the troubles Vancouver has in moving Luongo with that long term contract. 


Good for Minnesota though. Supposedly Detroit offered Suter 90 million over 10 years but he wanted the more $. They didn't draft their core the bought their core. Parise and Suter are SOLID all star players. So this greatly improves the Wild who need to start competing in a strong West. LA proved what you can do if you just make the playoffs. So hats off to the Wild. 


NHL.com pointed out that this helps there offense.
Parise joins a forward group that already includes Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi and Matt Cullen. Mikael Granlund is considered one of Minnesota's top prospects that could make the team this coming season.
But Suter helps their Def and Backstrom is a good goalie who just got better with Suter's help. 


This is bad for the Canucks, Oilers, Flames, Avalanche, NJ and Nashville. Obviously the GM's for NJ and Nashville are extremely disappointed. NHL.com did a great article on this and reported the reaction from both GM's:
NJ GM Lamoriello:
"There is no question we're disappointed. It's a very unfortunate thing when you have a player of his stature that has come right through the ranks and at this given time a decision is made to go elsewhere. Right now there is nothing we can do about that and we'll just go forward. Our offer was competitive and we did not at any time have a phone call that we needed to change it or it had to go up. So, it was competitive."


Nashville GM Poile: 
"Ryan has told me in every conversation that money was the not the most important criteria," Poile said in a teleconference with reporters. "He told me today that our offer was substantial. He told me it was not about the money when it came to the final decision. As I said to him, and this was all the things that we had talked about, I said, 'I don't know why you are not signing with us,' and he told me it was for family reasons. I guess that is where the disappointment comes in. I know family is important in all this. I can't fight that or argue with that. The disappointing part is that is not what we talked about all year long. I think we met Ryan's desires and criteria on every front and so today is very, very disappointing."


Insane transaction. LONG contracts. Over paid. But probably for the city of Minnesota and the buzz they are getting worth every penny. 

I'm a frustrated NHL fan...

Seriously what is going on in NHL? The league has gone all hype. Lot's of hot air. Nothing is happening. The media has done a great job getting us jacked for all the trades but it's been SO LAME.

Trade deadline: Rumours of Nash moving, Semin's going, the Lightning need a goalie...nothing happens except the biggest news of the day Hodgson for Kassian (both haven't done a thing yet). The best deal happened before the deadline when Jeff Carter went to the LA KINGS who did the impossible and won the Cup as an 8th seed.

Draft: Luongo's getting traded, Nash is on the move, the Flames are going to blow it up and rebuild, Edmonton will trade down,  etc.
What happened? Teams just drafted.

July 1st: Parise is going to sign with??? Suter will be in??? Of course they still haven't signed but I don't blame them it's a major life decision that should not be taken lightly. If I was a GM I would be going hard after Parise, he's a heart and soul kind of player. I say he goes back to NJ.

Schultz goes to Edmonton? Of course, you want to be a part of the young guys who one day will be good then all their contacts come up and the Oilers can't afford them all and trade them or let them go except Eberle because he's the best player on that team. If the Oilers can't keep those young guns together they will be a NHL farmer team just developing teams for the good ones with the $.

A trade went down yesterday...Derek Roy goes to Dallas for Ott and ... what are the Sabres thinking? Is Roy on a decline? Because I think he's a great addition to Dallas especially since they moved Riberio. Now Jagr is there...$4.5 million for

I heard the Rangers are pulling out of the Nash sweepstakes. Now I hear the Flyers are the front runners with Carolina now in the mix. Why haven't they pull the trigger on a deal yet? Actually I think Nash is overrated and I wouldn't give up what the Blue Jackets are asking.

Brodeur gets an agent to test free agency...if he signed anywhere else other than NJ that would have been so weird.

The Flames get Wideman and haven't moved much. So I guess they are not rebuilding. Honestly it would be hard to trade the faces to the franchise in Iggy and Kipper.

Why hasn't Luongo been traded? Then we have some $ to go after Suter or Parise. $4.6 million to Garrison for 6 years after he's had only 1 good year...I am nervous about this signing.

Why haven't the Leafs got a goalie yet? Over pay if you have too. Burke, you get a goalie you will make the playoffs and keep your job. If not, this is you last season. Supposedly Halak, Luongo, T.Thomas, and Bernier are all available. The time is NOW!

Montreal inks C.Price to $6.5 million a year. The dude is only 24 years old and he has almost 300 games under his belt. Good move by the Canadiens.

I am a frustrated NHL fan... just waiting for something BIG to shake down. Will it ever happen? Who knows...maybe Luongo stays with Vancouver, Nash plays for Columbus, Tim Thomas enjoys a year off, and the Leafs & Oilers miss the playoffs again. :(