The Official NHL 2014 Offseason Thread

[The Jackal]

Wonder where Kevin Hayes is going to end up. If he doesn't sign with the Hawks by 8/15 (and it seems like he doesn't intend to) he becomes a UFA.

I don't see a trade for his rights happening because the Hawks get a 2nd round pick if he leaves. I think the Flyers could certainly open up a top six winger spot...

[Suburban Rhythm]

[The Jackal]

That's pretty cool.

[JPhillips]

Caps d-man Conner Carrick:

"There’s just a strength that comes with having kids and drinking beer and those kind of things. These guys have it and I try to compete with it."

[claphamsa]

72M for Subban... cant say thats a bad deal

[BishopMVP]

Did anyone catch the story about Patrick Kane showing up at a beer league game in Buffalo? » Patrick Kane Showed Up At A Beer League Hockey Game In Buffalo Last Night And Dominated Barstool Sports – Chicago

(PS - Get Vinny Scarsella a training camp invite!)

[Chief Rum]

Paul Bissonette is awesome. Although I wish he hadn't have done this in speedos.

[Neuqua]

Four new NHL expansion teams? Vegas, Seattle, Toronto and Quebec by 2017: Report | Puck Daddy - Yahoo Sports

[Dr. Sak]

I can't believe Kansas City isn't a #1 destination for a hockey expansion team.

[JPhillips]

I don't know if KC can support the Penguins and an expansion team.

[Logan]

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

I can't believe Kansas City isn't a #1 destination for a hockey expansion team.

Seattle would have to be a clear #1. They embrace soccer, have tons of canadians, large population with disposable income, young fanbase. The only thing holding them back is an arena. Key arena is a dump.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Seattle would have to be a clear #1. They embrace soccer, have tons of canadians, large population with disposable income, young fanbase. The only thing holding them back is an arena. Key arena is a dump.

Old joke buddy .

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Logan

Old joke buddy .

I still have a couple t-shirts I bought. Just some local guy selling $5 shirts with the promise "all proceeds will be forwarded to Lemieux to keep the Penguins here"

One says "Crosby is a Yinzer" (yinzer being a dumb Pittsburgh local)

Another says "Kansas City is for Jagoffs" (jagoff being a jerk, in Pittsburgh-ese)

[Suburban Rhythm]

DOLA

Probably the best place to post this

Every year for the past 5 or so seasons, the Penguins have had players hand deliver ticket packages to season ticket holders. The core group - basically guaranteed on the roster - each visit 3 or so houses or businesses.

I got a call earlier this week confirming I'm getting a player visit this year, Monday afternoon.

They don't tell you the player - mainly fear if you get Crosby or Malkin that your entire neighborhood shuts down with traffic. But still exciting.

My son is pretty pumped. Already planning on wearing his mite team jersey, and setting up a net in the driveway

[Logan]

That's awesome SR!

[Suburban Rhythm]

They'll cover it on the local news, which I might make for a few seconds, but I'll definitely share my 15 minutes of fame once they load the visits to the Pens website

[Fidatelo]

That's super cool!

[Suburban Rhythm]

Our visit with Robert Bortuzzo

Yeah...it wasn't Sid or Malkin, but he could not have been more genuine. Sat on the couch, asking my kids about school, hockey, everything. Totally cool guy

[Suburban Rhythm]

And on a little bit of the video on the team site, from 0:49 - 0:56



Not sure if embed will work, here's the link

http://video.penguins.nhl.com/videoc...0682&catid=912

[Dr. Sak]

That's great! I'm sure your son has a memory he will never forget. I still believe that of all sports, hockey players are the most down to earth people.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

That's great! I'm sure your son has a memory he will never forget. I still believe that of all sports, hockey players are the most down to earth people.

After a couple minutes, it was like my wife and I, my sister, the camera guy and the PR person weren't in the room. Just him and the kids.

Asked my daughter if she plays hockey. She said she dances. He said "That's awesome, too! I bet you can do stuff I can't, eh?"

Which...he said "Eh?" so many times, I found myself saying it the rest of the night. Canadian is contagious.

[Qwikshot]

That's really cool...

[Logan]

That's really awesome. Do any other teams do something similar?

I have a buddy who has had Rangers seasons in his family for about 45 years. He got to go on the ice once before a game, and besides that, he gets 20% off at the team store.

[sterlingice]

That is very cool! Love the pictures

SI

[CraigSca]

That's awesome! I guess there's a new favorite Penguin in your house, eh?

/gratuitous Canadian thrown in there

[Fidatelo]

That's real cool!

For what it's worth, I feel like a lot of us Canadian's are actually losing our "eh's". I don't say it very often anymore, not nearly as much as when I was younger, and I don't notice many of the people I interact with using it much either.

[MacroGuru]

First off, that is awesome SR! Memory of a lifetime for the kids and it probably sealed them as Penguins fans for life!

Originally Posted by Logan

That's really awesome. Do any other teams do something similar?

I know the Sabres do and the Pegula's join the players in handing out the tickets as well.

[Suburban Rhythm]

We had practice last night, about 3 hours after our visit.

Watching Sam at practice was fantastic...overall, he's middle of the road talent wise. I have no delusions that I've got a future NHLer on my hands. Passing/shooting wise, he's above average. His skating is mediocre. And normally, especially in practices, he's a bit timid (my absolute biggest pet peeve).

In the locker room, I was telling a couple of the dads about our visit, and all the boys are asking him about it.

Last night was the hardest he's skated, by far, at a practice this year. It's weird to say, but the confidence of meeting an NHLer, and the notoriety it gave him among his team, really bloomed last night.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Logan

That's really awesome. Do any other teams do something similar?

I have to wonder why more organizations don't.

Some might have to do with, as has been touched upon here, the persona of the players involved. Hockey players are a different breed. Using NFL players might not have the same effect. MLB might have trouble with the number of Latin players who are uncomfortable in social situations because of the language barrier.

My wife worked at Pittsburgh's Children's hospital for about 8 years. And always talked about how when the Steelers visited, there were 1-2 really outgoing guys, and about 6-7 who showed up, went through the motions, and put in their time long enough to get out.

When the Penguins showed up, total opposite. Sure there were always maybe 1-2 guys who were more aloof (notably, she said, the year she started, Jagr), but always more genuine with the kids than any other group that came in.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Awkward

Selanne offers harsh criticism of Boudreau’s handling of him

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Awkward

Selanne offers harsh criticism of Boudreau’s handling of him

Yeah I remember seeing a quote from Teemu about how his ice time was being handled that struck me as surprisingly blunt at the time.. but it makes even more sense now.

[bhlloy]

Picking my words very carefully as he's obviously one of my favorite players of all time, but he showed nothing to deserve the extra ice time last year and I am firmly on Boudreau's side on this one. Like the Brodeur situation anyone else would have been out of the league after 20 games based on performance.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Ooof

Jordan Staal breaks leg in Hurricanes preseason game

...and Ooof

Rangers' Stepan out with broken fibula

[BishopMVP]

Nice to see Marc Savard healthy enough to start scouting for a minor league team.

That said, it reminds me how dumb LITR is. Everyone knows we'll sign Krug/Smith once he's put on it, but they have to miss training camp and the preseason. And trading a Kelly/McQuaid before then might not even make sense, since we want to be as close as possible to the salary cap limit on Day 2 of the regular season.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Nice to see Marc Savard healthy enough to start scouting for a minor league team.

That said, it reminds me how dumb LITR is. Everyone knows we'll sign Krug/Smith once he's put on it, but they have to miss training camp and the preseason. And trading a Kelly/McQuaid before then might not even make sense, since we want to be as close as possible to the salary cap limit on Day 2 of the regular season.

There are ways around it. Penguins have done this before, manipulating the roster by sending guy down to ECHL (Pens ECHL team is in Wheeling WV, an hour away, as opposed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6 hours away) to recoup as much as possible against LTIR.

The bigger issue about how silly it is that he can be place on LTIR as a player, then accept a scouting position at the same time.

[Suburban Rhythm]

DOLA found the example, from last season. Bruins did it as well last year

HOW DOES LONG-TERM-INJURED RESERVE (LTIR) WORK?

The Pittsburgh Penguins followed Option 2. The upper limit was $64.3M and the Penguins’ Averaged Club Salary or cap payroll on the final day of training camp was $65,990,000, which included a healthy Beau Bennett ($990K cap hit) and an injured Tomas Vokoun ($2M cap hit). Rather than simply place Vokoun on LTIR, a move that would have left them with no cap space and a new upper limit of $65,990,000, they demoted Bennett and recalled Harrison Ruopp ($650,833 cap hit) and Chris Conner ($550K cap hit), two players with an aggregate Averaged Amount totalling $1,200,833. That increased their Averaged Club Salary to $66,290,833 — $1,990,833 above the upper limit or almost exactly the $2M cap hit of Vokoun. Only then did they place Vokoun on LTIR, leaving the Penguins with an upper limit of $66,290,833 for the duration of the LTIR designations. The Penguins recalled Bennett and demoted Ruopp and Conner the next day, bringing their Averaged Club Salary back down to $65,990,000, while leaving them with the flexibility to add $300,833 in Averaged Amounts, space created by the one-day swap of Bennett for Ruopp and Conner.

The Boston Bruins followed Option 1. The upper limit was $64.3M and the Bruins’ Averaged Club Salary or cap payroll on the final day of training camp was $66,086,309, including healthy Dougie Hamilton ($894,167 cap hit) and Torey Krug ($916,667 cap hit) — whose aggregate Averaged Amount was $1,810,834 — and injured Marc Savard ($4,027,143 cap hit). Rather than simply place Savard on LTIR, a move that would have left them with no cap space and a new upper limit of $66,086,309, the Bruins demoted Hamilton and Krug on the final day of training camp, reducing their Averaged Club Salary from $66,086,309 to $64,275,475 — just $24,525 under the upper limit. Only then did the Bruins place Savard on LTIR, giving them a new upper limit of $68,302,618. The Bruins then recalled Hamilton and Krug and included them on their opening-day roster, bringing their Averaged Club Salary back up to $66,086,309, with the flexibility to add $2,216,309 more in Averaged Amounts, cap space that would not have existed without the one-day demotion of Hamilton and Krug. It’s important to note that the Bruins had performance bonuses exceeding the bonus cushion that reduces the figures listed in this example, but they are ignored for ease of understanding the example.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

There are ways around it. Penguins have done this before, manipulating the roster by sending guy down to ECHL (Pens ECHL team is in Wheeling WV, an hour away, as opposed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6 hours away) to recoup as much as possible against LTIR.

The bigger issue about how silly it is that he can be place on LTIR as a player, then accept a scouting position at the same time.

Exactly. We'll do paper moves and manipulate who's in Providence so we're as close as possible to the salary cap limit on opening night... Then put Savard on LTIR to open up 4 million, then recall players/sign Krug/Smith the next day. Instead of just being able to put Savard on LTIR now, and have that $4 million available without the need for shenanigans.

Not sure why you'd be opposed to him working in a non-athletic capacity for an organization with no ties to the Bruins. Players are allowed to have part-time jobs (spokesman, etc) as long as it doesn't interfere with their playing or risk injury. (I'm also pretty sure it'd be terrible PR to be seen as being petty or telling someone who lost an NHL career due to concussions what he can or can not do in his ample spare time. And its not like the Bruins want him to retire - that'd actually mess up our cap even more!)

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Not sure why you'd be opposed to him working in a non-athletic capacity for an organization with no ties to the Bruins. Players are allowed to have part-time jobs (spokesman, etc) as long as it doesn't interfere with their playing or risk injury. (I'm also pretty sure it'd be terrible PR to be seen as being petty or telling someone who lost an NHL career due to concussions what he can or can not do in his ample spare time. And its not like the Bruins want him to retire - that'd actually mess up our cap even more!)

I understand why the team (avoid cap disaster) and player (receive salary) want to remain "active" and under contract. Because of the guaranteed $, it's beneficial for both sides. More annoying the NHL didn't forsee this and put in a provision to allow career-ending injuries to be removed from the books. Right now, team and league doctors give the thumbs up to the LTIR status, so wouldn't be any different. Player gets a settlement, team gets out from under remaining contract. That $4m for the Bruins is already available.


And I'll add they can have part time gigs outside of the organization. I'm sure the Bruins did their due diligence on this, but assume he's scouting for no salary? Otherwise I think the NHL would look into that as some sort of circumvention. It's why the Penguins can't call Crosby a player/team president, and pay him $1m as a player, and $10m as an executive

[The Jackal]

This is a good article as well, Flyers have been dealing with this for a few years now with Pronger:

How the Flyers can maximize their salary cap space - Broad Street Hockey

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

I understand why the team (avoid cap disaster) and player (receive salary) want to remain "active" and under contract. Because of the guaranteed $, it's beneficial for both sides. More annoying the NHL didn't forsee this and put in a provision to allow career-ending injuries to be removed from the books. Right now, team and league doctors give the thumbs up to the LTIR status, so wouldn't be any different. Player gets a settlement, team gets out from under remaining contract. That $4m for the Bruins is already available.


And I'll add they can have part time gigs outside of the organization. I'm sure the Bruins did their due diligence on this, but assume he's scouting for no salary? Otherwise I think the NHL would look into that as some sort of circumvention. It's why the Penguins can't call Crosby a player/team president, and pay him $1m as a player, and $10m as an executive

100% agreed on the first part - this should be an easy fix in the next CBA, but who knows if they'll remember to do it.

No idea if Savard is getting paid, but don't see why it would matter. He's not scouting for the Bruins organization, but an OHL team. That's no different IMO than a player working for a law firm, or a TSN, or getting paid to coach youth kids in the summer.

[JPhillips]

I didn't realize Trotz is the first coach with NHL head coaching experience hired by the Caps since 1997.

[MikeVic]

Can someone explain teh Jets placing Budaj on waivers to me? Is this some weird NHL waivers/trade thing? The Jets would get a compensatory pick if Budaj is claimed, OR they get him in the minors? Either way, seems kinda weird to just trade for him over the weekend and now do this?
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nhl/1497/peter-budaj

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Can someone explain teh Jets placing Budaj on waivers to me? Is this some weird NHL waivers/trade thing? The Jets would get a compensatory pick if Budaj is claimed, OR they get him in the minors? Either way, seems kinda weird to just trade for him over the weekend and now do this?
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nhl/1497/peter-budaj

I assume they just wanted an experienced vet in the system. If Hutch falls on his face at the NHL level they can call up Budaj. In the meantime he is apparently a great guy so he can mentor Helly down on the rock and be there as insurance for them too. And if someone picks him off waivers on the way down (probably unlikely), that's not a huge concern either, since they only gave up Tangradi for him and Tangradi was clearly going nowhere in this organization.