Summer Signings

After what went down today I think the Pens should spend the rest of the cap on either Jarkko Ruutu or Shaun Bergenheim

WTF!!!

We've apparently signed Benoit Pouliot and sent Michael Ryder to Dallas.

5.5 million for (the over-rated) Wisniewski???? That's more than either Perry and Getzlaf are getting!

Madness.

So far we've signed Sami Salo (happy), Chris Higgins (very happy), Mark Mancari (meh), Marco Sturm (very unhappy), and Andrew 'Fucking' Ebbett (the exact polar opposite of deliriously happy).

GMMG had better have some better moves up his sleeves!

So far we have signed nobody and Giguere and Brent have moved on. This makes me very happy as a quiet FA Burke usually means their is a trade storm bruin -did you see what I did there, did you?

Haha very clever Buff.....

I expected the Stars to be a bit active but not that much in day 1 never mind the first couple of hours! Within 90 mins the Stars had already signed 3 players and went on to sign another 3 before the day was out.

We signed...

Vernon Fiddler 3 year, $1.8m per year.
Very happy with this one. Fiddler is a good faceoff guy (something we badly need), a good penalty killer (again something we badly need) and a very hard working player. I think he will fit in just fine.

Michael Ryder 2 years $3.5m per year.
Another one I am very happy with. Have been a fan of Ryder for a while and he brings some much needed fire power to our RW. I know he isn't a 50 goal scorer or anything like that but after Eriksson we had Burish in our RW depth chart.......exactly.

Radek Dvorak 1 year $1.5m.
Not sure what to think of this one. Not an outstanding player and getting on but he's cheap and I think Joe brought him in to try and help develop his fellow countryman Vincour develop.

Jake Dowell 1 year $0.8m.
Seemed pretty solid for the Hawks as a 4th line rookie. Very cheap and low risk so I am fine with this.

Sheldon Souray 1 year $1.65m.
Possibly the signing I am most happy about (ok maybe after Ryder). When the Oilers were trying to trade him I was worried we would make a move and I was worried because of his contract. I have long been an admirer of Souray and it was a shame to see him get buried in the minors over disagreements with the Oilers. When they bought him out I was secretly hopeful the Stars would go after him. He is exactly what we need, providing a bomb of a shot on the PP and can put up decent points. Yes there are question marks over his ability after a run of injuries but I would pay $1.65m just so we can wheel him out to the point on the PP so he can just fire at the poor goalie standing in the way. If he is half the player he used to be then this is a bargain signing.

Adam Pardy 2 years $2m per year.
Pretty pleased with this signing as Pardy is a solid defender to replace Woywitka. Only question mark over this for me is the price seems a tad high but at $2m it is hardly breaking the bank.

Overall I am extremely please with Joe's work yesterday. I know these moves are not gonna vault us into Stanley Cup contention but we all know with the situation the Stars are in that winning the cup is highly unlikely right now anyways. I think these moves strengthens our squad and will ensure we are not simply playing for 1st overall pick next year.

Still keeping fingers crossed for Connolly however

Richards says he will sign today so I would imagine Connolly would then resolve his situation not long after that. A nervous 48 hours!

Tsn says that Richards has chosen the rangers!

Wow 9 years; that should bring the cap hit down which makes it a good contract for NYR I guess.

If Richards really wanted to win though like he said, then he would be in in LA; though I never got why they chased him with 2 bona fida centres already.

Burkie sticks to his guns in not handing out long contracts so looking forward to what he might try and pull with a trade

Glad Richards won't be plying his trade in Pacific next season!

I don't think the Ducks will do much in the FA - at least nothing of note. They've released a lot of crappy 3rd and 4th liners so will either give youth more of a chance next season or sign another bunch of underwhelming and cheap cloggers. Of course if Selanne decides to retire they may be forced to make moves but I think the team will be roughly on a par with that of last season. With the excessive prices paid for mediocre players at the moment it seems pretty prudent to stay out of it - especially with the end looming of the current CBA and the need to re-sign Perry and Getzlaf in a couple of years.

Richards, Lundqvist, Gaborik, Dubinsky, Staal, Callahan, Girardi, Stepan, plenty of young talent...exactly why do people think LA is a better destination than NYR? LZ has no chance of ploughing through the Wings, Canucks, Sharks, Hawks etc. Waste of a career if you go there. Better to sign East!

Kopitar, Richards, Penner, Williams, Stoll, Brown, Doughty, Johnson, Mitchell, Scuderi, Greene, Quick, Bernier plenty of talent and depth... exactly why would anyone think NY is a better destination than LA? NYR has no chance of ploughing through the Pens, Flyers, Bruins, Habs, Sabres, Caps, Bolts.

Swings and roundabouts Azzy- the only difference is NYR is the roundabout going round and round on FA splurges whilst LA is on the swing heading up.

I stopped Reading when you said JARRETT STOLL

So you don't think Stoll is a good depth forward?????

He puts up his share of points (43) both at even strength, short handed (3) and the on the PP (12) and for his minutes is pretty clutch (5 GWGs). Reasonable in the face-off circle and lays down more hits than most (164). If you need him to he can fill in further up the depth chart.

That is the sort of player and depth you need from your multi-role guys who can step it up if you want to be a contender. That list shows that LA probably have more of a championship roster than NY. If Richards really wants a shot at another cup, as he said, he signs with LA not NY.

I was only stating elite talent, as I would rather have the Rangers top 6 than LA's top 6. And Girardi and Staal is the league's best shutdown D pairing, which I believe will see them go far this season.

The Eastern teams ALL have a tendency to crumble - the Caps have shown it in recent seasons, as have the Flyers, Bruins, Habs, Sabres...the Rangers have made the best UFA/RFA signing, and it'll make them one of the teams to beat in the East. LA is merely one of the top 8 in the West - remember they have barely ANY scoring on the wings compared to the rest of the West.

This is one of my happiest moments as a Leafs fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...... which probably says something

Welcome aboard Mr Connolly can i polish your stick

Maybe Richards simply preferred living in New York rather than LA. Can't say I'd blame him...

Azzy you prefer what NYR has as a top 6 over Gagne-Richards-Brown + Penner-Kopitar-Williams ?

BuffonIdol wrote:Azzy you prefer what NYR has as a top 6 over Gagne-Richards-Brown + Penner-Kopitar-Williams ?

Yes, I do.

Wolski-Richards-Gaborik and Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan is a better top 6 than that.

Not to mention, Gagne is a puff of wind away from injury, Richards is coming off the worst season of his career, Brown isn't the player he was two years ago, Penner has been cack in LA, Kopitar blows hot and cold, and Williams needs his own oxygen chamber whenever he leaves his house.

The Rangers have a far better chance of winning the Cup than the Kings.

What a signing by the Caps...getting Vokoun on that contract.

Vokoun's deal is on par with Alex Burrows as best in the NHL. Amazing!

I was impressed with the moves made by the Stars - I think if they could nab Anton Babchuk they'd be well set for the new season.

Don't get me wrong Azzy I like players such as Asimov, Callahan and Dubinksy but they are hardly prolific support production for a second line and are now approaching their primes. Wolski seems to flatter to deceive most years and needs to start delivering consistently whilst Gabroik breaks more often than a ladies inner lining.

IF the Rangers are going to go far then it is because of King Henrik and him alone. The Kings are more balanced all over the roster and that is a recipe for success regardless of what division or conference you are playing in.

I do find it odd that you are championing the cause of an Eastern conference team considering all your snootiness about it being inferior to the West including if I remember correctly you amongst others heralding of the Kings as the next big thing.

Azzy Luongo wrote:Vokoun's deal is on par with Alex Burrows as best in the NHL. Amazing!

Finally something we can agree on

Now Vokouns deal is one where the player is more about trying to win a cup than $$$

On a side note....EA please update these I wanna play my new team lol