NHL free agents

[Snero]

he's not like allison where most of the bonuses aren't counted against the cap, lindros didn't miss enough games last year to quality so he's a huge risk compared to allison who is pretty much pure profit

[Phlegm]

Lindros passed his physicals. So now he is a Maple Leaf. He signed a 1yr/1.55 mil contract.

[Phlegm]

From espn.com on the state of NHL free agents:

Slowly but surely, the ranks of Team Leftover are dwindling.

Eric Lindros bolted from the land of the uncertain for the land of the never-ending hockey season in Toronto on Thursday afternoon. Earlier in the day, two-time Cup-winning defenseman Brad Lukowich got the call at his offseason home in Dallas that the Islanders had arranged to pay for his services.

Still, the two leave behind some 240 unrestricted free agents wondering where and when they might find new homes, or whether they will find them at all.

"I'm not really nervous. I'm more anxious and excited," Lukowich said a day before he signed a two-year deal with the Isles. "I'll let my agent do the worrying."

It seems like months rather than days since the unrestricted free-agent market opened with the immediate signing of veteran Cup winners Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts by the Florida Panthers.

Over the next week, a blur of deals saw some of the top names in the game crisscrossing the hockey map, with Adam Foote landing in Columbus, Peter Forsberg in Philadelphia, Scott Niedermayer in Anaheim, Ziggy Palffy and Sergei Gonchar in Pittsburgh, Nikolai Khabibulin and Adrian Aucoin in Chicago, Brian Leetch and Glen Murray in Boston, and so on and so on. Then, as though exhaling as one, the NHL's general managers quickly turned their attention to dealing with restricted free agents as the shape and tenor and personality of teams began to come fully into focus.

"We knew the big guys were going to get taken care of first. As they should. And it just kind of trickles down from there," Lukowich said.

The demarcation between the best and the rest has been stark, and it vividly illuminates the new NHL landscape.

Lindros, a Hart Trophy winner and league scoring champion who once commanded a salary of $8 million annually, will play for $1.55 million in Toronto. He is essentially the team's third-line center behind captain Mats Sundin and another bargain reclamation project, Jason Allison.

If that is Lindros' value, what then of other Leftover forwards like Alexander Mogilny, Teemu Selanne, Mark Messier, Scott Young (who once scored 40 goals), Vincent Damphousse, Peter Bondra, John LeClair (Lindros' former linemate on the Legion of Doom) and faceoff expert Yanic Perreault?

If Lukowich is worth $1 million in the first year of his deal to the Isles, what then of former Islander Roman Hamrlik? Or Glen Wesley, Jason Woolley, Jiri Slegr or Anders Eriksson?

With netminder Sean Burke safely ensconced in Tampa and Jocelyn Thibault squeezed from Chicago to Pittsburgh, what is Curtis Joseph's value? Or that of Steve Shields? Felix Potvin? Byron Dafoe?

"It's all over the map," said Carlos Sosa, who represents Lukowich, among others. "The marketplace is almost situationally specific."

That is, each player represents a unique set of circumstances, and those circumstances might change from team to team based on that team's own unique needs and restrictions.

Certainly for the esteemed members of the Leftover squad, the new NHL means having an open mind, in terms of both geography and finance.

"To get the price they want, they may have to go somewhere they don't want to go," Sosa said.

In presalary-cap days, squeezing an extra $100,000 or $200,000 out of a team wasn't a problem.

"But to bend and stretch over a $100,000 or $200,000 now is problematic," said veteran agent Ritch Winter, who this week helped Jan Hrdina land in Columbus, but still has Team Leftover stars Hamrlik, Bondra and Eriksson, along with Michal Rozsival, to deal with. "You have to be aware of the market, and you have to be concerned about it. The only ones who are not concerned about it have to be in a coma."

In some ways, this free-agent scenario is repeated every year. There is a rush to sign the top-level free agents, then there is a settling period during which GMs take stock of their needs and their budgets, then try to round out their rosters with a good fit from the rest.

This summer, though, GMs have been engaged in a frantic game of build a team overnight. Instead of having more than two months to sort through the free-agency marketplace, the market opened on Aug. 1 this year, and since the announcement of a tentative end to the 10-month lockout, GMs have been running pretty much around the clock.

With each movement, a GM must keep one eye on the ever-present salary cap and another on the clock as training camps will open on or about Sept. 12. Most teams have rookie camps the week before that.

Adding another element of uncertainty for those free agents biding their time in the shadows is the fact that with many young players getting a full year of seasoning at the AHL level during the lockout, the competition for roster spots will be even fiercer than normal.

"It's an interesting group," Carolina GM Jim Rutherford said of those remaining unrestricted free agents. "The question is how do they respond to a different role on a different team."

For instance, Bondra has scored 30 or more goals nine times in his distinguished career. It's believed the Atlanta Thrashers are interested, but with a forward corps in Atlanta that includes Ilya Kovalchuk, Dany Heatley, Marc Savard, Bobby Holik and Slava Kozlov, Bondra's role might be different than the one he played during his prime in Washington.

Beyond whether a player will fit in with a specific team, another question facing GMs is how these players fit in with rule changes the NHL hopes will make the game more fluid and fast-paced.

San Jose GM Doug Wilson said he is predisposed to giving a young player from within the Sharks' system a shot at a roster spot before bringing in outside help, reinforcing the message that hard work on the farm does get rewarded.

That said, the Sharks made a concerted effort to land top free-agent defenseman Niedermayer, and Wilson will continue to look for players who might fit with what promises to be a Western Conference contender.

"We don't give anybody a job just by default," Wilson said. "You have players that are trending up and you have players that are trending down."

For many of Team Leftover, players like LeClair, that isn't a positive trend.

Still, not every team has the depth of young talent the Sharks possess, and Rutherford thinks most of the regular NHLers in this large free-agent pool will find work before the puck drops.

"Those players are still going to find homes. There're still good players out there," he said.

Rutherford finds it amusing that many observers have quickly assessed teams' moves and assigned them a passing or failing grade weeks before skates touch the ice.

"We're still in the first 25 laps," Rutherford said. "We're very early in the race."

All of which is music to the ears of the members of Team Leftover.

[Tuggan]

I cannot believe they are reinstating that sucker punching asshole Todd Bertuzzi into the NHL. That is ridiculous. He should be suspended to a more harsher degree.

If you want to see a dirty fucking play, look into Claude Lemieuxs check from behind on Kris Draper well after the play. Checked him face first into the boards totally intentionally, destroyed Drapers face for the most part...all kinds of reconstruction surgery was needed. Nothing happened to Claude really, his teammates shunned him, and he got his ass beat on the ice all the time for awhile. Thats about it though. Thats the kind of offense that ought to get you banned from the league.

But really people fight in Hockey, its one of the best aspects of the sport if you ask me. Bertuzzi/Moore was an accident, and it wasnt some random act of violence. Moore had laid Naslund out earlier in the season, gave a him concussion. Lot of players/fans thought it was a dirty hit, and in Hockey you defend your teammates. Bertuzzi was doing what the big burly goon power forward town hero is supposed to do. His punch didnt break his neck, the angle of his head on the ice when Bertuzzi fell on him broke his neck

[Phlegm]

Bertuzzi/Moore was an accident, and it wasnt some random act of violence.

It wasn't an accident. Purely intentional on Bertuzzi's part.

[Tuggan]

Yeah, breaking someones neck and ending a fellow players carreer was totally intentional.

[Phlegm]

Yeah, breaking someones neck and ending a fellow players carreer was totally intentional.

It wasnt a random act of violence. Watch the video of the incident again, Tuggan. He skated right at Moore, then he cross-checked him right in the back of the neck and slammed him to the ice. He might not be trying to break his neck but he did intentionally trying to hurt him.

[Tuggan]

I saw the game, I watched the Canucks get stomped. I watched them get more and more frustrated. I watched Moore hold his own in a fight earlier. I watched him backtalk and turn his back on Bertuzzi when he wanted to go too, shit happens. Im not saying what he did was right, but it was an accident. Missin the rest of the season, and the playoffs was punishment enough.

[Phlegm]

How can it be an accident? Bertuzzi skated right at Moore from behind and cross-checked him in the neck. Are you saying Bertuzzi cross-checked Moore by accident? Bertuzzi may just wanted to inflict some pain on Moore for what Moore did in the earlier game, but that cross-check was no accident.

[Tuggan]

It was an accident because it was a hockey fight, that ended terribly. 1 in 500 fights is there a serious injury. Bertuzzi had no intention of ending anybodys career, he was doing his goon thing and landed ontop of him in the wrong position. Oops Not much different than someone going skull first into the boards from a check in my opinion.

[Tikker]

How can it be an accident? Bertuzzi skated right at Moore from behind and cross-checked him in the neck. Are you saying Bertuzzi cross-checked Moore by accident? Bertuzzi may just wanted to inflict some pain on Moore for what Moore did in the earlier game, but that cross-check was no accident.

injuring him was accidental


causing pain, and a bloody nose was the goal


it's a bit like baseball in some ways

you bean our slugger, you know your slugger is going to get thrown at


I really am not much of a fan of the dirty/chippy aspect of hockey, but if steve moore had NOT been injured (just punch a few times) there's absolutely no way we'd be talking about this

[Arlos]

I cannot believe that people are defending sucker-shotting someone in the back of the head. That's absolute complete and total bullshit. Fights are part of hockey, sure, but you do NOT do that kinda shit, period. If it was a normal fight, where they had faced off against each other, and in the dogpile Moore had gotten hurt, no one would've had one ounce of complaint. The fact is though, he completely cheapshotted him in the back of his head after he turned around. He'd have been suspended big-time for that, regardless of injury, for the simple reason that stuff like that is FAR more likely to result in someone getting seriously hurt, which is what happened.

-Arlos

[Zanchief]

I really am not much of a fan of the dirty/chippy aspect of hockey, but if steve moore had NOT been injured (just punch a few times) there's absolutely no way we'd be talking about this

But he was.

[Tikker]

I cannot believe that people are defending sucker-shotting someone in the back of the head. That's absolute complete and total bullshit. Fights are part of hockey, sure, but you do NOT do that kinda shit, period. If it was a normal fight, where they had faced off against each other, and in the dogpile Moore had gotten hurt, no one would've had one ounce of complaint. The fact is though, he completely cheapshotted him in the back of his head after he turned around. He'd have been suspended big-time for that, regardless of injury, for the simple reason that stuff like that is FAR more likely to result in someone getting seriously hurt, which is what happened.

-Arlos

I'm not defending bertuzzi here, but a punch in the back of the head is no where near as viscious as some of the other shit that happens

The fact that everyone ignores is what caused the whole incident

It's not like moore was an innocent dude who got jumped

a couple weeks before this, he'd taken a cheap shot elbow at the face of Naslund. He deserved to get smacked in return

Obviously, he didn't deserve to have his neck broken, but it's not like bertuzzi just randomly jacked some dude, he had it coming, to a certain extent

[Phlegm]

It was an accident because it was a hockey fight, that ended terribly. 1 in 500 fights is there a serious injury. Bertuzzi had no intention of ending anybodys career, he was doing his goon thing and landed ontop of him in the wrong position. Oops Not much different than someone going skull first into the boards from a check in my opinion.

It wasnt a hockey fight. There was no fight. It was a cheap shot from behind by Bertuzzi.

[Tuggan]

Maybe you should go watch the video again? There was most definately a fight taking place Or maybe watch Hockey in general? Theres about 50 cheapshots a game, perhaps we should freak the fuck out over everyone of them until the game is so drab and shitty even Canadians wont watch it.


One shitty fourth liner gets injured, and the league and pussy fans like Arlos flip out. Its a rough game, if you cant take the bad with the good watch Baseball.

[Phlegm]

Maybe you should go watch the video again? There was most definately a fight taking place Or maybe watch Hockey in general? Theres about 50 cheapshots a game, perhaps we should freak the fuck out over everyone of them until the game is so drab and shitty even Canadians wont watch it.


One shitty fourth liner gets injured, and the league and pussy fans like Arlos flip out. Its a rough game, if you cant take the bad with the good watch Baseball.

Just because you wanted to defend Bertuzzi to end and not call it for what it was. There was no fight. Period. No gloves were dropped. Nobody were squaring off. Call it for what it was, a cheap shot by Bertuzzi. I am not arguing that there arent cheapshots in hockey. I am just pointing out to the fact that you said it was an accident. There was no accident. Watch the video of the incident again Tuggan and you will see that Bertuzzi skated right at Moore's back and cross-checked him. A cheap shot plain and simple. I guessed Bertuzzi was too much of a pussy to drop the gloves and have a go with Moore.

[Tikker]

Maybe you should go watch the video again? There was most definately a fight taking place Or maybe watch Hockey in general? Theres about 50 cheapshots a game, perhaps we should freak the fuck out over everyone of them until the game is so drab and shitty even Canadians wont watch it.


One shitty fourth liner gets injured, and the league and pussy fans like Arlos flip out. Its a rough game, if you cant take the bad with the good watch Baseball.

Just because you wanted to defend Bertuzzi to end and not call it for what it was. There was no fight. Period. No gloves were dropped. Nobody were squaring off. Call it for what it was, a cheap shot by Bertuzzi. I am not arguing that there arent cheapshots in hockey. I am just pointing out to the fact that you said it was an accident. There was no accident. Watch the video of the incident again Tuggan and you will see that Bertuzzi skated right at Moore's back and cross-checked him. A cheap shot plain and simple. I guessed Bertuzzi was too much of a pussy to drop the gloves and have a go with Moore.

1 last time

the accident was the injury, not the fact that he was punched


if he'd been punched and just got a bloody nose, no one would talk about it

[Zanchief]

if he'd been punched and just got a bloody nose, no one would talk about it

But he didn't.

[Tuggan]

See, this is whats funny to me. You watched a 1 minute clip of the attack on Moore from behind and think you have an informed opinion on the matter. There was alot leading up to the attack. Like I said, I watched the entire game. I saw it all unfold. Colorado was ahead like 6 to 1 or something embarssing, they were looking silly. The fans were getting more and more angry, and the players more and more frustrated. When theres no hope of winning, things tend to get a little dirty.

Bertuzzi was the one wanting to have a go with Moore, he refused. He talked shit, and turned his back on Bertuzzi....guess that wasnt the best of ideas huh? Damn right it was a cheap shot, and im not defending Bertuzzi's actions. Can ask Spazz all the shit I was talking about the goon when this happened. Im just defending my sport before it gets even more pussified because of isolated incidents where someone gets hurt. The injury was most definately an accident, the attack obviously wasnt.

Personally I think Moore is a little hack bitch that was trying to make a name for himself by clobbering Naslund. The hit was dirty. He had it coming. Sucks he was injured severly, but 4th liner nobodies ought to know better than try that kinda shit.

[Phlegm]

Damn right it was a cheap shot. The injury was most definately an accident, the attack obviously wasnt.

This is what i've been saying all along and you keep arguing Tuggan.

[Arlos]

Even if Moore didn't get hurt, Bertuzzi would have been suspended, and for a longass time, simply BECAUSE cheapshots like that have a huge chance of causing injury. I have no problem with fights in hockey, they're a great part of the game. There's no place for cheap shot sucker punches, though. Period.

-Arlos

[Tuggan]

oh, thats strange... i kept reading about how it wasnt an accident but instead it was bertuzzi intentionally trying to ruin his own career along with moores.

[Phlegm]

oh, thats strange... i kept reading about how it wasnt an accident but instead it was bertuzzi intentionally trying to ruin his own career along with moores.

Where did i said that bertuzzi was trying to ruin his career? The incident wasnt an accident. It was intentional on Bertuzzi's part.

[Phlegm]

Bertuzzi/Moore was an accident, and it wasnt some random act of violence.

You even said so here. Since it wasnt some random act of violence, then it must be intentional.