NHL Off-season thread

[BtownJay]

Originally Posted by NICKinDALLAS

According to Bret Hull, who played with Avery, all of his teammates love the guy. Does whatever it takes to win (we know this to be fact) and has a sick work ethic. We'll see. I was not a big fan of what he did.

BS. They didn't love him in LA and that was a huge reason he left.

[ssigman]

1. jay explain the rangers trade please..seriously i don't know either of those guys at all

2. nick, you will love avery..its a great pickup..don't listen to the haters..i'm now a 30% dallas stars fan...you have avery and the worse lundqvist brother

[BtownJay]

Basically the deal was to get Nikolai Zherdev to the Rangers. The kid is a fat out stud in the making. He wasn't used the right way in Columbus on that shit team... but he's 23 years old and a very very gifted player. #4 overall pick in the 2003 draft. Had 26 goals and 35 assists on that terrible team last season. I'll bet anything he scores 30, with at least 40 assists with the Rangers this coming season.

Dan Fritsche is 22 years old and was a 2nd round pick in '03. He had 12 and 10 goals the last two years. Was never a big scorer in juniors, will probably see 3rd and 4th line time.

Basically it was Tyutin for Zherdev and then Backstrom (sp?) for Fritsche.

Win Rangers. Though they will have to sign another D-man probably unless they have some kid i'm not aware of.

[ssigman]

ah ok..i read the article on it..seems like an upgrade for our offense and kind've a replacement for straka...the other guy i guess will play the 4th line which they seem to be redoing all over with this voros and rismiller signing

we definitely need another defenseman now..i have no idea who's out there

[ssigman]

i hated backstrom anyway so i'm glad he's gone...i guess they could go for mara right?

[BtownJay]

Latest Power rankings from Yahoo (7/8/08). I don't know if I really agree with alot of them, but here they are.

Power rankings: Reshuffling the deck … - NHL - Yahoo! Sports

1. Detroit - DUH
2. Dallas - I don't think they are this high
3. Pittsburgh - I guess we'll see
4. San Jose - I question their defensive choices
5. Philadelphia - Just about right.
6. Montreal - IMO the class of the East, by far. Should be #2 overall.
7. Anaheim - which Ducks team shows up this year?
8. NY Rangers - who knows with this team.
9. Minnesota - i like them this year, lots of potential
10. New Jersey - I don't see it, but they always finish near the top.

Others -
12. Colorado - sorry Shane, not with that goaltending.
14. Chicago - SOON B'hawks fans, soon.
15. Boston - NO, no and no again. No playoffs this year.
19. Vancouver - how did they do this little with so much potential?
20. Phoenix - not an easy win anymore. VERY physical this year.
23. Columbus - improving. Should be better than 23rd this year.
24. Toronto - lol, no way they are even this good.
25. St. Louis - how did you do nothing to get better? its a shame.
27. Los Angeles - will be better than this, much better than Toronto.
30. Atlanta - good thing you got rid of youth to make a run two years ago. Idiots. Poor Kovalchuk.

[BtownJay]

Are you kidding me?? This is a big blow to the NHL...

Russian international ice hockey forward Alexander Radulov on Thursday signed for reigning national champions Ufa.

The financial details of Radulov's contract were not disclosed.

The 22-year-old, who is still under contract with NHL side Nashville Predators where he collected 62 points in 87 matches last season, said he had warned his club management that he wanted to play in Russia.

AFP: Nashville striker Radulov signs for Russian champions

This is going to kill the Preds.

Get rid of the dumbass salary cap and get rid of 6 teams already.

Jagr, Straka, Radulov and Emery all overseas. No excuse for that.

[Rusty27]

What happened to that article we saw yesterday of respecting the contracts in each country?

[BtownJay]

Thats what I was wondering too. Radulov still has a year left on his Preds contract.