The NHL 2004 Summer Predictions Thread
This thread can be used for anything from discussing the proposed rule changes made by the GMs a couple months ago, to predicting CBA outcomes, and most important off-season roster changes. I'll give 'er a go with the most obvious teams, though I'm not quite sure which contracts expire when:
Colorado:
I believe Foresberg will call it a career and go play in Sweden where he can enjoy the game again; even if it's just for a year or two, I think he wants out right now. That said:
Selanne: re-signed if Foresberg goes.
Kariya: gone. Just like his chemistry with Selanne
Blake: gone. $9M for less than four points in the playoffs each of the last two seasons, and a +/- below 3 for the playoffs? For the money, Blake sucks IMO. For half his salary, he'd be worth it but otherwise not.
Konowalchuk - signed to a nice deal / given a nice extension. He really earned it during his time in Denver this year. Showed a lot of good stuff.
Nikolishin - signed / extended by a year.
Barnaby - gone. Nothing more than a rent-a-pest.
Worrell - gone. Did next to nothing for the team this year.
Toronto:
Marchment, Klee, Kaberle, Antropov, Berg, Belak and their roughly $8.7M worth of annual salary - history.
Nolan - if they can swing a favorable trade financially / value-wise - gone.
I suspect a few guys like Roberts and Francis might consider calling it a career this summer, we'll have to wait and see.
Dallas:
The loss of Sydor, Langenbruner, Nieuwendyk and other key players the last couple years has really hurt them. They need some meat-and-taters type players who will bring some clutch points but also play the gritty roles when needed. Too many perimeter skaters on that team I think.
Turgeon: gone - if he's a UFA or tradeable for a younger talent / not too big of a salary hit, should they have to eat some.
Young - gone.
Arnott - if his contract is up, I forsee a one year re-signing / extention. Perform or leave, basically.
Zubov - traded for a couple young horses, one on D with talent and more size. Wouldn't mind seeing him back in Pittsburgh if he'll take a pay cut. We have plenty of defensive studs in our system they might take a shine to.
Detroit:
Yzerman - might retire, otherwise next year will be his last I'd guess.
Hull - don't think he'll retire, but he may head to the new professional league his Dad is trying to start. Either way I don't think he'll be around by next Christmas.
Shannahan - not going anywhere, and probably the next Captain.
Draper - not going anywhere
Maltby - ditto
Hatcher - gone
Chelios - will retire
Hasek - gone whether he retires or not. I think Cujo is their guy now.
Vancouver:
Bertuzzi - I think he'll be reinstated and will remain a Canuck.
Arvedsson - gone most likely
Rucinsky - signed to maybe a one or two year deal.
Sanderson - same
Heberg - gone
Chubarov - gone most likely
Defense will remain intact, as it should.
May be a big trade for a good goalie; Kolzig maybe.
Boston:
I think they're better than their series with Montreal would indicate. Lot of talented young players. I don't think they'll change much at all, especially after nabbing Gonchar.
Moran - waiver wire action
Gill - gone / traded to a young team who needs a big defensman
New Jersey:
They never do well following Cup years it seems. They need offense, period.
Stevens - will retire I think
Kozlov - will stay / get an extension
Hrdina - gone
Friesen - if contract is up, one year extension / or will be traded for comparably offensive-minded player (maybe two talented but less experienced guys).
Too tired to think of anymore for now...
Colorado:
I believe Foresberg will call it a career and go play in Sweden where he can enjoy the game again; even if it's just for a year or two, I think he wants out right now. That said:
Selanne: re-signed if Foresberg goes.
Kariya: gone. Just like his chemistry with Selanne
Blake: gone. $9M for less than four points in the playoffs each of the last two seasons, and a +/- below 3 for the playoffs? For the money, Blake sucks IMO. For half his salary, he'd be worth it but otherwise not.
Konowalchuk - signed to a nice deal / given a nice extension. He really earned it during his time in Denver this year. Showed a lot of good stuff.
Nikolishin - signed / extended by a year.
Barnaby - gone. Nothing more than a rent-a-pest.
Worrell - gone. Did next to nothing for the team this year.
Toronto:
Marchment, Klee, Kaberle, Antropov, Berg, Belak and their roughly $8.7M worth of annual salary - history.
Nolan - if they can swing a favorable trade financially / value-wise - gone.
I suspect a few guys like Roberts and Francis might consider calling it a career this summer, we'll have to wait and see.
Dallas:
The loss of Sydor, Langenbruner, Nieuwendyk and other key players the last couple years has really hurt them. They need some meat-and-taters type players who will bring some clutch points but also play the gritty roles when needed. Too many perimeter skaters on that team I think.
Turgeon: gone - if he's a UFA or tradeable for a younger talent / not too big of a salary hit, should they have to eat some.
Young - gone.
Arnott - if his contract is up, I forsee a one year re-signing / extention. Perform or leave, basically.
Zubov - traded for a couple young horses, one on D with talent and more size. Wouldn't mind seeing him back in Pittsburgh if he'll take a pay cut. We have plenty of defensive studs in our system they might take a shine to.
Detroit:
Yzerman - might retire, otherwise next year will be his last I'd guess.
Hull - don't think he'll retire, but he may head to the new professional league his Dad is trying to start. Either way I don't think he'll be around by next Christmas.
Shannahan - not going anywhere, and probably the next Captain.
Draper - not going anywhere
Maltby - ditto
Hatcher - gone
Chelios - will retire
Hasek - gone whether he retires or not. I think Cujo is their guy now.
Vancouver:
Bertuzzi - I think he'll be reinstated and will remain a Canuck.
Arvedsson - gone most likely
Rucinsky - signed to maybe a one or two year deal.
Sanderson - same
Heberg - gone
Chubarov - gone most likely
Defense will remain intact, as it should.
May be a big trade for a good goalie; Kolzig maybe.
Boston:
I think they're better than their series with Montreal would indicate. Lot of talented young players. I don't think they'll change much at all, especially after nabbing Gonchar.
Moran - waiver wire action
Gill - gone / traded to a young team who needs a big defensman
New Jersey:
They never do well following Cup years it seems. They need offense, period.
Stevens - will retire I think
Kozlov - will stay / get an extension
Hrdina - gone
Friesen - if contract is up, one year extension / or will be traded for comparably offensive-minded player (maybe two talented but less experienced guys).
Too tired to think of anymore for now...
Comments
i echo many of your predictions, as well as the part about being too tired to think rosters, but
Vancouver will <checks crystal ball>:
name Dave Nonis (one of Burke's Deputies) as GM
rucinsky - not impressive enough. might be gone
sanderson - ya. him fast. bring energy.
more speed/size would be welcome.
don't mess with the D (record few goals against this yr),
but maybe Cloutier will be traded and Auld will start til they sign a better tender
needing another Naslund or bigger, we'd love a $4M/yr scorer
maybe a Sakic, or a bigger Kariya if playing in their hometown=worth a paycut
get us Tuomo Ruutu (better player than Jarko) and we can have two killer brother lines.
Twin Swedes and brotherly Finns, all good grinders and hard workers.
Rule changes -
Goalie equipment gets smaller = good.
Penalties for diving. Ribiero should get 10 for unsportsmanlike next time.
I wish the'd go with automatic or at least touch-up icing. some ugly injuries unnecessarily this yr
until we get int'l size ice, that'll do for now.
And I'm in favour of one of the things Don Cherry has been railing about for years. No touch icing. If you have ever seen one of Grapes highlite reels of icing injuries then you must agree.
Move the nets back to their original position and start using touch-up offsides (is that what its called?).
Rosters???
To early to think about it. I have got to go to work.
Anyway, I think goalies should absolutely be able to play the puck... and they should also be fair game for legal checks. They are more protected than anyone else on the ice. You just make the intent to injure penalty an automatic league review and if found guilty, an automatic 12 game suspension and [a $200,000 team fine]. Do it to a goalie twice in a season and the second time, you forfeit the remainder of the season (or 20 games, whichever is more) and [the team gets a $300,000 fine]. Do it a third time (ever) and you're banned from the league.
Nobody is going to risk that.
Basically you'll end up with guys who just put standard checks on goalies, rather than throwing elbows, knees or other dirty crap in an attempt to get the goalie out of the game. It is possible to get goalies more into the flow of the checking game, without putting them at undue risk, the league just has to have the balls to make an example out of the first player or two who tries to take a goalie out.
I agree that goalies should be able to play the puck and should be "fair game" when outside the crease with some leeway, i.e., you can't just bowl over a goalie because he's just outside the top of the crease when he's trying to make a save. How about that any goalie behind the goal line is fair play rather than disallow it completely?
The more I think about it and watch these games, the more I think they do need to increase the rink width at least a little. I fear checking and the physical game would be affected negatively, but even 5 or 6 feet would make a big difference. Having 16 people in a 85' x 200' ice rink at a time is sort of crazy given the size of these people.
Goalie equipment should be reduced a bit, not only the leg pads but also the mits with their "cheater" pads. Tag-up offsides could be nice, and the moving the goal line back might help a bit. They should redce time between whistles more aggreessively, but I don't like the idea of getting rid of touch icing.
I'd like to see more good old fashioned ejections. Seems like unless you use a four letter word to a ref, you could decaptitate someone with little repurcusion. Also, get rid of the instigator rule. Let them even things up, with the penalty of more serious infractions (cheap shots and blind-sided elbowing or boarding) being that you can't be there for the rest of that game or else the following game if you do it in the last 10 minutes of the current one.
And despite all the tough-guy talk and chest beating shows of "manhood", I think visors and/or face masks should be required of players. The puck is too dangerous, at this level especially. Players care more about their little head than their big one, which is just stupid, and it is always a black eye on hockey when someone like Yzerman or Roenik gets hurt like they have.