Commandant

4 years at 5.5 doesn't make sense. If you go over 5 million you better buy some of his UFA years... I'd be happier with 6 years at 6 million than 4 at 5.5. Seems everyone is denying the rumor though.

Today a look at Canadian Goaltending: A theory as to why there seem to be so few great Canadian born goalie prospects in recent years. http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/01/11/where-have-all-the-canadian-goaltenders-gone/

I agree we have no entitlement to the NHL. I don't agree that we should look at Bettman's apology and see it as sincere.

Pribyl would need to be signed this year or would be lost to us and a FA. (Just like Nygren). This is assuming that they fall under the 2 year rule of the old CBA. If it is now a 4 year rule for Europeans, then wed get 2 more years... but I'm not sure if that starts in the 2013 draft or is applied retroactively to 2011 and/or 2012.

Cammalleri not joining the Leafs had nothing to do with Nonis negotiating instead of Burke, and had everything to do with Burke not being willing to pay as much as Gainey offered. As for Burke going to Sweden, I agree with CC. He tried to go after the best possible UFAs that summer, not his fault it didn't happen. MOLG, you'll remember from our old board that I was very high on going after the Sedins that summer, and I was very low on the Gomez trade which I predicted would be a disaster from day 1... as even at his best, Gomez was gave us like the 12th best Centre in the Conference

Look at John Carlson's stats and minutes per game. Subban is better than Fowler and Quincey, but him and Karlsson are near equivalents.

Its a PTO offer though.... its a short term fix for the position. This management has repeatedly shown that they value size and physical play since taking over (draft results, Armstrong, Moen, Prust, etc....) I wouldn't be too worried about them signing a guy for a few months to a minor league only deal to help the Bulldogs score. At his age, Tenute is an AHL journeyman, and not likely to ever crack an NHL roster full time, just like guys we've signed under the previous regimes.... Lehoux, Willsie, Dawes, etc... He's there strictly for Dogs scoring and just this season.

RFA Defencemen recently signed. (RFA is the key here) Cam Fowler 4.0 million x 5 years John Carlson 3.9667 million per season x 6 years Kyle Quincey 3.775 million per season x 2 years Other RFA defencemen on the market Dmitri Kulikov Michael Del Zotto. Not only did I consider the market.... I gave Subban 300k per year more than John Carlson, and I didn't sign Subban for any of his UFA years, which is what Carlson and Fowler both did with Back Loaded contracts that pay them less up front and more during their UFA years. If Subban averages 6 million per season on this deal, you better be locking him up for a significant chunk of UFA years.

The speech was nearly word for word what he said in 2005. Had a lot of practice with it.

Beauchemin I agree would have been useful, very useful. Hainsey was an asset, but less so due to negatives about his game (he was immature when he left, and had defensive deficiencies).

Exactly, Hamilton needs scoring, especially at the centre position. They need a guy who will put up points... size or no size.

This is the 2nd time he's stolen his mentor's job.

If Seguin scores the same points as Kessel... the bruins win in getting the younger player, with the smaller cap hit, who is further away from Free agency.

Max with his thoughts on the shootout, and its place in the NHL. http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/01/09/the-shootout-is-part-of-the-game-get-over-it/

Thats fair.

Did you watch Hainsey last season?

2 years 4.26 million per season..... 10,000 more than Kaberle

Dietz's really bad negative numbers all come from 4 games this season. -6 in a November 24th game vs Kelowna (a 9-2 lossl) -3 in a November 3rd game vs Lethbridge (a 5-4 shootout loss) -2 in a October 5th game vs Swift Current (a 10-1 loss) -3 in a October 3rd game vs Red Deer (a 5-2 loss). Thats -14 of his -18 in just 4 games.

Kaberle?

Kovalev, Kostitsyn, and Marek svatos all invited to camp. Its a new big 3 of enigmatic, lazy forwards. When does Kovalev have the press conference about taking his talents to South Beach?

I'd be looking for a game or two as well.

With the cap being 70 million in year 1 and if Galchenyuk is on the team then Leblanc isn't.... so yes they both fit.

No more re-entry waivers for players who count against the cap while in the minors.... I think.

The cap is guaranteed to be no lower than 64.3. If revenues don't reach that amount, the escrow will be higher but the cap can never be lower than 64.3. This was done so that the UFAs and RFAs from now and next summer won't take a disproportionate share of the burden that is caused by dropping revenues from 57-50 and will instead be spread across all players via the escrow. I've seen a ton of them from China... they look like shit. Even things that people have called the best fakes I can pick out of a crowd. I've got a really big jersey collection, and its one of my obsessions. I won't be adding to that collection for a while though...

How to get your NHL Fix, while minimizing revenue given to NHL/NHLPA and putting it in pockets of those hit hard by the lockout. http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/01/07/nhl-happy-hour-how-to-protest-the-nhl-now-that-the-lockout-is-over/