The Official 2015 NHL Offseason Thread
 

Just when I think I can't love Hextall more, he goes and trades Rinaldo for a third rounder!

Jets didn't make a big splash at the draft but most reports are they did well with the guys they picked. Time will tell, but Chevy has a pretty solid looking track record at the draft so far.

Oh and how 'bout that Mike Richards?

I'm beginning to think Don Sweeney may not have been the best GM available.

has it come out what he did to et his contract cancelled?

I've heard nothing other than not living up to his promise to get in better shape last year, when they chose not to buy him out. If that's the case, the Kings aren't going to win that grievance. That being said, Lombardi isn't a fool, could get really interesting.

there HAD to be something else...

One would think the Kings had their legal team go over this with a fine tooth comb before nixing Richards' contract. Unless Kings management/legal team are completely inept at their job, I would imagine the NHLPA won't win this one.

He been banging other players' wives again? Maybe he stepped up to wives of coaches and GM.

that makes him a dick...but does the contract say you cant?

I mean Voynov has been out for a year waiting trial...

Gotta be something major but I still lean towards the NHLPA winning in the end unless he ends up in prison.

Yeah has to be major. Voynov still has a job after all.

Apparently they were in talks to trade him when the Kings pulled out when finding out more details about the "incident"

I saw speculation that it had something to do with drugs, but not much we can do until more details come out. Very sketchy. I hope he didn't do anything really stupid, would hate for him to be tarnished beyond not living up to his contract in terms of on-ice effectiveness.

So amazing.

Next 48 hours should be interesting as well!

It seems like a lot of reporters know what it is but aren't saying. Why would that be? In the era of TMZ why can't reporters spill the beans here, even if it is just "what I've heard from reliable sources is..." kind of conjecture?

A TMZ reporter, or some random blogger who virtually no one knows, might end up doing it. A national hockey writer, who depends on access to the NHL office or to club front offices, or a beat writer who depends on having good relationships with players in order to do their job, is unlikely to compromise that either to implicate someone in a crime or embarrass a player.

Blackhawks trade Saad to CBJ.

I was bummed to hear about this initially but it was reported he was looking for $6.5 for 6 years. I love Saad but that contract would have crippled any idea of building a balanced team for the Blackhawks.

I don't know much about the players we got back except know AA is a solid 2C.

Unfortunate news, but at this point I'd be silly to not trust Stan Bowman for doing the right thing.

Jets retain Drew Stafford for 2 years, 4.35mil annual. Pretty great deal for both sides I think. Also makes the Evander Kane trade even more lopsided than it was under the assumption that Stafford was a playoff rental.

So apparently being questioned about prescription drugs at the border is enough to get your contract revoked?

TMZ Report: Richards questioned about oxycodone - Article - TSN

Unless it comes out that he's a drug kingpin the Kings are going to lose this.

Hurricanes bought out Semin, somewhat surprisingly, if only because it was generally expected he'd get one more shot to fix what ailed him over the last couple of years and then cut bait with him next year when the contract had one less year to buy out. Instead, they dropped him now and will take a cap hit of a bit over two million per for the next six years. I remember not feeling good at all about the contract he got when he signed it a few years back, thinking it was too much reward for one good year. As the years went by and he never regained whatever touch he had the first year here, those suspicions were confirmed.

I have no idea how we'll play next year (especially if the trade rumors surrounding Skinner pan out at some point), but it certainly can't be a lot worse than last year's mess without intentionally going into the tank like Buffalo did. The defense is looking perhaps as good as it has in years if Hanifan is as good as advertised, but unless the Staal brothers can finally start living up to their contracts (thanks, Jim Rutherford!), we're going to be losing a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 games.

I'd love to see him go back to the Caps. He has his shortcomings, but he can play when motivated.

Why on EARTH would the Canes shop Skinner at their current level of competitiveness?

This hurt more because the feeling was that they were going to be able to keep him.

Organization seems high on AA and apparently has a 5-year extension in the works with him. And I guess Dano is a solid young prospect.

Told you TMZ would be the one to spill it! :)

Phil Kessel to the Pens!

For Kapanen, Harrington and a pick. I don't know any more.

I wasn't expecting them to keep Stafford, so this is nice. Was hoping for Frolik, but we'll see!

Mike Green to Detroit. I think both the term - 3 yrs - and price - $6M per - is just about right.

Sharks sign Paul Martin 4 years, $4.85 AAV. No complaints

all the caps fans are cheering

Yeah I don't mind the term on that Green contract but the money seems too high.

Jets lose Frolik to Calgary, 5 years at 4.3mm. That seems like a super reasonable contract. I'm also now hearing that he was asking for 4 years at 4.0mm last summer. Why didn't the Jets just sign that deal? Or even a similar one to what Calgary just paid? I don't get it. Am I being a homer and over-valuing the guy?

Probably in a nutshell, too much money for too long to a player who has shown he's incapable of not getting concussed at least once a year. It's a shame because until that first concussion, he was a star in the making. I don't think he's ever been totally right since then. He's shown flashes, but he's never been consistently good like he was his rookie year.

Oshie and Justin Williams are good pickups for the Caps. They have a very solid top six now.

Especially Oshie.. I'm still pissed about the trade.

Yeah, I don't know what the Blues were after there. Brouwer and spare parts isn't much to be happy with.

As typical Blues style.. they just trade to say they did something.