Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mike Modano, not in Dallas???

Mike Modano is a pimp. I love this guy, he's my brothers all time favourite player, and a future hall of famer. He has recently said that he will look at all his options this summer. This is very strange, to me, you look at a guy like Modano who has played 20 seasons with the (North)/Stars organization and you think of him as a Stevie Y, Mario Lemieux, Joe Sakic. Were talking about a short list of guys who played amazing careers all with the same team.

But things are slightly different for Modano compared to Yzerman and Sakic. Modano for starters only won 1 Cup compared to Sakic and Yzerman who passed it back and forth to eachother for a decade. Modano was not the captain of the Stars when they won (Hatcher), and Modano was stripped of the 'C' a couple of years ago. If you as me, Mike has not been shown the type of respect he deserves from that organization and for that reason I think it would be okay if he did leave.

In a recent article I read on TSN, Modano was quoted, saying that he will probably wait a few weeks after free agency starts and see how things are looking and then pick a competitive team to play for. Could you see him in a Red Wings jersey, how about Penguins (if they move Jordan Staal), or maybe in Washington? Let's see who the Sharks bring back and re-sign, maybe there will be a fit for Modano in San Jose? Either way it will be bizarre to see a guy who I grew up watching, wearing a different jersey.

I know it doesn't really fit the whole 'contender' thing but I'd love to see this guy in a Leafs jersey, that would be amazing. But I think its pretty unlikely.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Arnott trade is great for NJD

I really like this move by the Devils, even though they don't have a ton of prospects, especially after dealing for Kovalchuk, but Arnott is a great pick up by a team that is very close. I think Arnott is exactly the type of guy that New Jersey was missing in their loss to Philadelphia. They could even use another guy like him. Philly was so much tougher and more rugged.

Another priority this summer for New Jersey is to re-sign David Clarkson. In my opinion Kovalchuk is gone from New Jersey.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Trade Rumours:

Here are a list of names rumoured to be available, as per things I've read in newspapers, seen on TV, heard on the radio, and found online (using discretion of course).

ALEX SEMIN - might be available. The Caps are obviously disapointed with their playoff loss, and here is a very talented underachiever with 1 year left on his deal.

return? I would expect any trade involving this guy to be more of a shake up type trade. The Caps will be looking for someone else who is high profile but different. They might even take a slightly lesser player if he comes at the right cap hit. Like a 60 point player, hard nosed, who earns under $5 mil.

TOMAS KABERLE - You know what Burke wants for him. A top 6 forward (young) and maybe more. Burke has repeated many times that his priority is not to bring in a 1st round pick, despite popular belief.

destination? New Jersey keeps popping up, Buffalo, St.Louis, Anaheim, and supposedly there are 5 teams very interested, these may or may not be 4 of them.

PATRICK SHARP - Really good all around player, could be the cap casuality. You know that its going to be someone (or someones) in Chicago, and its likely it could be Sharp.

return? Someone cheap and talented/prospect/draft pick. I wouldn't be surprised to see a team deal a late 1st rounder for him. My own speculation: Anaheim deals the Flyers pick (acquired in Pronger deal) 29th overall for Sharp.
destination? Latest news says Columbus or Toronto are interested.

JEFF CARTER - Believe it. The Flyers will be in a tough situation with regard to cap numbers, and the latest is that Carter could be the odd man out. The Flyers might be moving one of their higher paid forwards to free up the necessary space to get a legit goalie and another top 4 d-man. Other names rumoured are Briere, Hartnell, and Gagne.

return? A goalie, or a less expensive, equally interesting forward. The speculation from one paper is a Carter for Nate Horton swap. I think Carter for Vokoun makes more sense. (or Gagne for Vokoun makes even more because I wouldn't trade Carter...)

JONATHAN BERNIER - Kings continuing to add more star power up front could use hot shot goalie prospect Bernier as trade bait if they miss out on UFA's like Patrick Marleau or Ilya Kovalchuk.

I'll add more to this later

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Free Agents I'd like to see the Leafs target

A month away from free agency, this is not a good year in terms of star power but there are a handful of solid role players who could help a lot of teams including the Leafs. Here's my wishlist

Depending on what kind of trades Burkie makes at the draft and throughout the summer, this wishlist could change but I'd like to see him add a couple pieces to make the team competitive for next year:
FIRST LINE FORWARD:
This is a must. I think he'll go the trade route but if he does go with a free agent I'd be interested in the following -
Ilya Kovalchuk - ya I want him. 6 years $45-50 mil, something like that (7.5-8.2 cap hit roughly)
Patrick Marleau - I don't love the guy but he would be a good pick up, 6 years $33-36 mil would be the highest I'd go (5.5-6 cap hit), or 3 years $21 mil.
Ray Whintey - I love him, look at his point totals in each of the last 5 years, and I was really impressed with the way he played in the couple of Canes games I watched. 1-2 years only for the 38 year old, under $2.5-3.5 per season.
Vinny Prospal - He'd be a 1st/2nd line guy, and would only be a 'plan B' for me. I don't think he's a Burke type guy, but he's a decent two way player and can score goals.
TOUGHNESS/SECONDARY SCORING:
I like the idea of Burke adding some muscle up front, preferably a player or two who can also score up around 20 goals.
I'd like to see one or two of these guys signed to 1/2 year deals:
Bertuzzi, Holmstrom, Modin, Cullen, C.Armstrong, Cooke, Artyukhin, Boogaard (maybe), Nichol, Burrish, Malholtra, Nystrom, Ivanans, Pyatt.